


Stars Fall, Hearts Rise

by JustAndrea



Category: Batman (1966), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Aliens, Batman 66 action/campiness, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, First Meetings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-02-15 03:52:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 53,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13022667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustAndrea/pseuds/JustAndrea
Summary: Plenty of strange and crazy things have happened in Gotham City, but aliens crash landing? That's a new one! However, this particular alien doesn't seem too bad. At least, the Boy Wonder doesn't seem to think so... Can the Dynamic Duo convince their lovely visitor from the stars to be their newest ally? Are there any more aliens on the way, and if so, what plans do they have for Gotham? And, does Robin have a chance of getting on a certain Tamaranian Princess' good side? Read to find out!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, I love the Dick/Kori pairing and after watching/reading stuff from the Batman '66 universe, I just really wanted to see how a meeting/potential relationship would work out between them within the context of the 66 universe. 
> 
> Just as a heads up, this is based more off the animated Batman 66 movies - Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman VS Two Face - since those are the majority of what I’ve seen from the Batman 66 universe. Well, that and the 1966 movie and a volume of the 66 comics. But yeah, expect it a bit more in that style. Anyway, enjoy! ^v^

_Another pleasant day in Gotham City… Not a cloud in the sky! A perfect day for a stroll around the park, maybe some window shopping, or - in the case of Millionaire Bruce Wayne and his young ward, Dick Grayson - spending the afternoon at an important and worthy charity event…_

The courtyards and fields surrounding Woodrow Roosevelt High School were filled to the brim with people, though it wasn’t just teenage students. In fact, many people there were grown adults and families, wanting to support the students of their proud high school in their academia-filled prospers!

Near the open gymnasium, where many baked goods and homemade crafts were being sold, a smaller table held a locked cash box that was already filled to the brim with donations! Outside the school, music was being played while other activities such as dancing, casual basketball and soccer games, and even an inflatable bounce house for the younger kids, were being enjoyed.

“Gosh Bruce, it looks like the fundraiser is a huge success!” Dick said, pausing for a moment to take a sip of his lemonade, “There’s no way we won’t be getting that new equipment and supplies now!”

“Indeed,” Bruce nodded, smiling back at the boy, “Though, speaking of success, I saw you out there on the court with your friends. You’ve been getting much better at your freeform shots, I can really tell that you’ve been practicing.”

Dick grinned, a bit sheepish but clearly proud. “Gee, thanks Bruce!”

“Don’t thank me, old chum, you were the one who put in all the hard wo-” “Oh! Bruce! Dick! Look what I won!” The two turned to see Aunt Harriet walking towards them, happily holding up a good-sized gift basket full of various perfume and makeup products.

“Can you boys believe it?” she asked, “I was one of the raffle winners, and this was just the one I was hoping to win!”

“Heh, talk about a lucky break!” Dick told her, stepping forward a bit to get a closer look at the basket, “Congratulations, Aunt Harriet!”

“Thank you, dear,” Harriet smiled back at him. Though, after a moment, she began to frown at her nephew. “Oh, but surely there’s someone else you’d rather be enjoying the fundraiser with than your old aunt and guardian.”

Dick raised an eyebrow. “Why would you say that, Aunt Harriet? I like spending time with my family! Besides, I just finished a couple games with my friends, and I think we were going to stop by the snack stands later-”

“But Dick, I’m talking about other sorts of friends. _Lady_ friends.”

“L-Lady friends?” the boy repeated, blushing slightly while his millionaire guardian began to smirk behind him. Leave it to Aunt Harriet to be so blunt.

“Yes!” Harriet exclaimed, “You can’t tell me that there isn’t one pretty girl around here that you’d want to keep company?”

“Well gee, Aunt Harriet, not in that way!” Dick argued, “But I’m fine, really! I don’t have time for dates, anyway. Not with all the homework I have and all the, uh, fishing trips Bruce and I take!”

The woman huffed, putting her hands on her hips. “Landsake, Dick Grayson! If you keep this up, all the pretty girls are going to pass you by before you know it!”

Bruce chuckled, watching as his ward and his aunt continued to go back and forth. Honestly, it didn’t surprise him that Dick wasn’t too interested in dates. The boy seemed to be a bit of a late bloomer anyway - certainly curious about girls, but not enough to actively try to interact with them in a romantic sense. But even putting that aside, Dick already had his attention set on something else: The pursuit of justice, and the excitement of crime-fighting!

It was no secret that Dick loved being Robin, from the thrill he got from all the action to the pride he felt each time he helped put a super criminal behind bars. And really, Bruce couldn’t blame the boy, since he loved being a hero just as much. Not only that, but Dick considered Bruce to be his best friend and father figure (and likewise, Bruce considered Dick to be his son and his closest ally, closer than Harvey Dent and just as close as Alfred), so the more time he was able to spend with Bruce the better, no matter what they were doing.

Still, a small part of Bruce did feel a bit concerned… Dick was still a teenager, after all. With how skilled he was, the boy could easily take a few years off to enjoy the remainder of his childhood and still be a hero later on, just as long as he kept up with his training. He could explore other occupations, do a bit of traveling, and (ideally) meet someone special. But without this opportunity, would Dick end up regretting his sacrifices as he got older? Would he ever start to feel lonely or feel like he was missing something in his life? Bruce didn’t know…

But despite not knowing, he wasn’t about to force Dick out of the mask and cape and start pairing him up with random girls in hopes that he’d make a love connection (and frankly, he wasn’t about to let Harriet do that either). This was Dick’s choice, so Bruce was going to leave it all up to him.

“Attention, attention,” A loud voice stated, bringing both Bruce out of his thoughts and his two family members out of their conversation. Quickly, the crowd brought their attentions to the gymnasium, where the school principal stood at a microphone. Next to him was the cashbox, now unlocked and ready to be counted.

“Attention please, ladies and gentlemen,” Principal Schoolfield continued, “It is time to count the money we’ve raised, and to announce whether or not we’ve made our goal!” The audience politely clapped. “Just as a reminder to you all, our goal was to raise two hundred-thousand dollars, all of which will go towards-”

Suddenly, there was a bit of a rumbling sound… Immediately, most of the crowd’s eyes looked towards the sky, but it was still a bright blue and clear as can be. So it wasn’t thunder… Principal Schoolfield cleared his throat, attempting to get some attention back on him before continuing. “A-All of which will go towards our various classrooms and clubs to make sure that every student and teacher in our wonderful school has the tools they need to succeed! So, let’s-!”

Someone in the crowd let out a shriek. Several arms began pointing towards the sky once more, though it wasn’t a cloud or even some villain’s plane or zeppelin that had caught their attention. No, instead it was a small round object that was burning bright and coming closer and closer to their fair city with each passing second!

“A meteor!” “An asteroid!” “We’re going to be hit!” “Where did it even come from?!”

“Seek shelter, everyone!” Principal Schoolfield ordered, grabbing the microphone from its stand as he began backing up into the gymnasium. People who were closer to the school began running that way as well. Others tried to find other means of shelter, such as ducking under the football field’s bleachers or behind one of the food stands.

Running on pure instinct, Bruce grabbed Dick and Aunt Harriet’s hands, leading them towards a groundskeeper shed. “Inside! Hurry!” he ordered.

“Goodness!” Harriet whimpered, holding her gift basket close to her chest. Dick quickly gave her a small pat on the back, trying to offer his aunt some comfort. As for Bruce, he stayed near the doorway of the shed, closing the door enough that if he had to he would be able to shut it quickly, but at the same time leaving it open enough for him to watch the asteroid fall.

Though, as the burning hunk of rock continued to fall, it actually began to look less like rock. In fact, as the fires began to die down and bits and pieces began to fly off, it almost started to look like metal. Like… Like a spaceship! “Great Scott,” Bruce mumbled, gripping the door frame tightly.

Thankfully, it didn’t look like the ship would be landing right in the middle of the high school courtyard, which meant they would all be safe from the impact. But for the Caped Crusader, that offered little comfort, There was a sharp _whoosh_ as the ship finished its rough landing, ending with a deafening CRASH! Even from a few miles away, smoke could still be seen rising out of Gotham City’s clothing and jewelry district.

“...Is it over?” Dick asked, giving his guardian a curious look, “Bruce? I-Is everything alright?”

“I can’t say for certain,” Bruce answered. The man stepped out of the shed, just as others were beginning to emerge from their hiding spots as well. With the panic over for now, curious murmurs began spreading through the crowd. Where did this ‘asteroid’ come from? Was there going to be more? Was this just the beginning? And of course, Bruce was asking these questions as well, frustrated that he didn’t have the answers.

Luckily, he had a way to fix that.

“Oh dear! We should find Alfred and head home,” Harriet suggested, “Before anything else falls from the sky!” People were already heading towards the school parking lot, and even Principal Schoolfield himself had gotten back onto his microphone and was asking people to evacuate the event.

“Sounds like a good idea, Aunt Harriet,” Dick nodded, “You go find Alfred and head home, and Bruce and I will meet you there later!”

Harriet blinked. “Meet me? But what about-? Now, wait a moment!”

“No need to worry,” Bruce insisted, “We’re only staying so we can offer a spectator’s insight about the incident to the police once they arrive. Besides-” Both he and Dick began backing away, eager to get to the scene of the crash as fast as possible. “If there are any shops or streets that need some help with clean up, we would want to be good citizens and give them a hand!”

“Today is a day of charity, after all!” Dick added, and with that they were off. “We’ll be back at the manor before dark!” the boy insisted, though it did little to reassure his aunt.

Harriet shook her head. “Honestly, those two and their curiosity. Ooh, they had better not get too close to that meteor, that’s all I can say! Who do they think they are, Batman and Robin?”

()()()()()()()()()

“It’s too bad we didn’t bring a change of clothes, huh Bruce?” Not only was it tiring to run in a sweater on such a warm day, but Dick was clearly wishing that he was in his cape and mask, if only out familiarity. “I mean, how much can we if we’re not-?”

“Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson can do plenty,” Bruce insisted, his running at a steady yet brisk speed, “After all, there’s no law saying that only masked heroes can help when there’s a disaster. I meant what I said when I told Aunt Harriet that we could help with clean up or putting out any fires.”

Dick frowned, but nodded. “Gosh, Bruce, you’re right. Guess I shouldn’t let the title of ‘hero’ go to my head so much. Not when there’s still plenty of good that ordinary citizens can do to help each other out and protect each other.”

“And besides…” Bruce narrowed his eyes a bit. “We need to see exactly what has landed in our fair city, and once we know that, we can head back to the Batcave and prepare to confront it, if necessary.” He increased his speed a bit as he turned onto another street - the street where the ship had landed.

Most of the buildings on the street were still standing, thank goodness. However, all of the windows in these buildings were completely shattered. Smoke and rubble from the impact made it hard to see and move in some spots, and in the center of the street was a huge, gaping crater. It was so wide that even a couple of parked cars had ended up falling into it!

Preparing as much as he could, Bruce took a good breath and ran into the smoke, with Dick still right by his side. As the Dynamic Duo got closer, they were able to eventually see the crashed ship in the deep center of the crater. The metal on it had been burned and blackened, not to mention all the dents and scrapes across it, and the ship itself had no windows.

“Gosh, would anything - or anyone - still be alive in there after all that...?” Dick asked quietly. His own curiosity beginning to take hold, he took a couple steps forward - but was stopped before he could slip down into the crash site.

“Easy, Dick,” Bruce told him, gripping his arm tightly. Alive or not, they still needed to be cautious and not take foolish risks (ESPECIALLY foolish, given that they were without their utility belts), no matter how tempting they may-!

 ***BOOM!*** Both disguised heroes flinched as a noise within the ship went off, causing it to lean forward a bit. Another crash went off within it, then another, and another. “Someone is trapped in there,” Bruce stated as they continued to watch. By this point, a crowd began to form around them, just as curious about the ship as they were, so even if Bruce wanted to do something he couldn’t without it raising suspicion.

So he, like the rest of Gotham, continued to simply watch as whatever creature inside the ship kept trying to break free of its damaged prison. Until finally… it succeeded.

With a flash of green light, a large sheet of metal was punched off, allowing the figure inside to crawl out. They were panting, clearly tired and probably hurt, but still determined to crawl out of the wreck. And for a moment, all they could see was orange.

Dark orange curls that bounced and moved with every motion. The alien’s hair was so big and long that it could make a lion jealous of their amazing mane. They tried to stand, but didn’t have the energy. So it sat on the earth, trying to catch their breath before slowly glancing up at the crowd.

And at that moment, Dick heard himself gasp as a pair of the brightest green eyes he had ever seen landed right on him. The alien stared back, just as shocked as he was. “It’s…” he began to say, “It’s… a girl!”

The citizens around him and Bruce also began whispering and murmuring about the alien girl, and with each word she grew more nervous. More agitated. More angry. Gripping the dirt underneath her light orange hands, she began to scowl.

Noticing this, Bruce spoke up. “We should all back up,” he tried to tell the crowd, “Give her some space. Maybe quiet down a bit, let her know we aren’t a threat!” Unfortunately, even a millionaire didn’t have as much respect as Batman, so Bruce’s words fell on deaf ears. To make matters worse, more cars began arriving. Police sirens filled the air, and several reporters from the Gotham Gazette had began snapping pictures.

All of the noise and stares and attention… It just kept building and building until finally, the alien couldn’t take it anymore. _“Gok’ta!”_ she screamed, standing up to her full height of what seemed to be about seven feet. Her audience gasped, with a few people even letting out a shriek or a “Please don’t hurt us!”

...And through it all. Dick could still only stare at her in surprise… In _amazement_. She was so tall! He could see slight muscles on her as well, something that he had never seen on a woman before. And her outfit… Gosh, it looked more like a swimsuit! A purple two piece with silver bracelets on each arm that held a single green gemstone (almost matching her eyes in terms of color and brightness) and long purple boots. Of course, all this purple just made her orange skin stand out even more.

“Wow…” he whispered, feeling his cheeks heating up a bit. There was really no doubt about it. She was _beautiful_.

“Alright, alright!” “Move aside now, come on!” Pushing their way through the crowd, Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara made their way to the front of the crowd. Gordon was trying to keep calm and professional, though it was obvious by the grimace on his face that he was wishing a certain crime fighting duo was there with him. It didn’t really help matters much that O’Hara looked pretty terrified about the whole thing (not that anyone could really blame him), even keeping a hand on his gun, just in case.

“Er, miss?” the Commissioner began, “It’s alright. We aren’t here to hurt you. We just want to ask you a few questions…”

“Y-Yeah!” O’Hara nodded, “C-Come on up, lass, w-we just want to talk-”

 _“Gok’ta bu ugna!”_ The alien girl repeated, giving the two officers a glare that could rival even Batman’s!  She then lifted her arms up, and flew right out of the crater and into the sky! Even more people gasped at this, with some even running away or fainting. The crowd just couldn’t believe it!

Thankfully, the alien girl was more focused on escaping than attacking and flew away from her crash site, her fiery hair trailing behind her and looking like the back-end of a rocket! And, like the police and their fellow citizens, all Bruce and Dick could do was watch. Even a mind as sharp as Batman’s was silent at a sight - at an _alien_ \- as incredible as this!

And the only question on everyone’s minds: What exactly were Batman and Robin going to do against something like this?

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh, thank you to everyone who’s read this/left kudos. Thanks so much! You guys are awesome! ^v^ Alright, on to chapter 2!

****“-And she just flew right up into the air!” “Just like some sort’a angel, but without the wings!” “It was the most incredible thing!”

Batman gave a small hum, his face staying neutral as he nodded. By the time he and Dick had arrived back home, the red phone in Bruce’s study was already ringing. A quick costume change and a drive later, and the Dynamic Duo had arrived at the GCBD building, much to the commissioner and the police chief’s relief.

“Have there been any reports of this young lady returning to her ship?” Batman asked, “Or any other sightings around the city?” Robin - who had been a bit more distracted than usual - glanced up at this, curious about Gordon’s answer.

Unfortunately, the older man couldn’t provide much of one. “Well, we have gotten a couple calls,” Gordon explained, “mostly from people claiming they’ve seen a streak of fire fly past their homes, but other than that-”

“She’s staying out of sight,” Chief O’Hara finished, his frown deepening, “Could that mean she’s plannin’ somethin’? Do you have any ideas on how we can track her down, Batman? ...Oh what am I saying, of course ya do! You’re Batman!”

“I am,” Batman replied, “And yes, I do have a couple-”

Just then, the door to the commissioner’s office opened, his secretary, Miss Bonnie, poking her head in. “Commissioner Gordon!” she called out, “It’s the President again! He wants to make sure we have the situation under control! And NASA is still on hold on line two.”

Gordon sighed, waving her off. “I know, I know… Just tell them that Batman is on the case and that we’ll call them back if we need them!”

“It seems this place is busier than usual,” Batman commented, “Not that I can really blame our country’s top men for being concerned. And perhaps some extra hands could-”

“They shouldn’t really be too concerned though.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, all eyes were on Robin. “And just what do you mean by that, Old Chum?” Batman questioned.

Robin stared at him for a moment. Batman’s face was stern, though not necessarily annoyed, just a bit concerned. But Robin knew that his guardian respected his opinion, so he continued. “What I mean is… Well, there haven’t been any reports of her trying to rob places or hurt people, right? And well, gosh, it looked like she could easily do just that if she really wanted to.”

“The lad’s right on that one,” O’Hara nodded, “That lass looked tough! And strong too. Almost as strong as that Amazonian woman who we’d used to see fightin’ crime.”

“Right! So, if she’s not here to fight, then we shouldn’t really be planning for a fight,” Robin continued, “We still need to find her, but… Really, she just looked - er, well, I’m sure she looked - scared and anxious from all the strangers staring at her.”

“That’s some good thinking, Boy Wonder,” Batman told him. As someone whose nature it was to believe in the good side of people, even criminals, he certainly approved. “Until her behavior changes, we can safely assume that her main goal is survival, not a hostile, alien takeover. ... _However,_ ” He looked straight at the boy as he continued, “it would be good to still be cautious. Looks can be deceiving, after all.”

“...” Robin nodded, glancing away slightly, “Of course.” It was good advice. Though, in the back of his mind, Robin couldn’t help but wonder if Batman actually believed that or if he was just saying it for Robin’s sake, considering how often he trusted someone like Catwoman. Still, he kept these comments to himself.

Turning his attention back to Gordon and O’Hara, Batman gave them a determined look. “Since she can fly, I would perhaps call our neighboring cities and tell them to keep an eye out, just in case she decides to head towards one of them. Until then, we can assume she’s still in Gotham, and Robin and I will search the city from uptown to downtown until we find her, or find a clue that tells us where she could be.

Gordon smiled. “A great plan as always, Batman. Chief, you and Miss June can start making those calls.” O’Hara nodded, giving a quick salute before heading out the door. And with their plan now in place, the Dynamic Duo ran back outside to the Batmobile, with Batman leaving a promise that they would contact the GCPD as soon as they found something.

“So, where do you think we should look first, Batman?” Robin asked, “Because I was thinking-”

“Well, Robin, if she didn’t mean to crashland here, then I’m sure she’d want to fix her ship and leave our planet as soon as possible,” Batman told him as he got into the vehicle, “So factories that produce metal, engines and other tools she may need are a good bet.”

“Oh… Gosh, that is a good idea.”

“...” Batman gave his ward a bit of a look. “Yes. Though, you said you had an idea as well, Robin?”

Robin shrugged slightly. “I was just thinking, since she’s probably at least a little tired and hurt from all of this, what if she’s trying to find food, or something else that can help bring her energy up? But, I guess it’s a sort of silly idea. Yours makes more sense, so-”

“There are no silly ideas in an investigation, Old Chum,” Batman told him, a ghost of a smile on his lips, “And in this case, your guess is as good as mine. Here.” Getting into the Batmobile’s glove box, Batman got out a small bat-communicator, tossing it to his partner. “We’ll split up. I’ll start searching Gotham’s industrial businesses while you search around this area.” With all the great restaurants and even a couple grocery stores, it would be the perfect place to find someone who was searching for food.

Catching the communicator, Robin nodded, grinning now. “Got it!”

“Good. Call me the moment you see her and not a moment after, and if neither of us find anything, we’ll meet back here in three hours.”

“Sounds good to me!” Robin told him, giving a thumbs up, “Good luck, Batman.”

“And to you as well, old friend.” The Batmobile’s rocket engine roared to life, and within seconds the vehicle was speeding down the streets of Gotham. The Boy Wonder watched it for a few seconds before starting his own search.

Each business he could find that was related to food in some way was searched, and while it took quite a bit of time, the fact that the owners of the businesses were so trusting and allowed Robin to search their places without any argument made the job a bit easier, at least. In-between his stops, Robin would also try questioning random citizens on the street, just in case one of them had seen something.

Like the phone calls, there had been small sightings - a flash of fire, a tall figure with long, curly hair ducking behind a corner, even a man who claimed to have seen a pair of bright green eyes looking at him through a window! But none of these people knew where the alien was heading, or what she was searching for. Robin, disappointed but not discouraged, thanked them for their time and continued on.

The minutes passed, then hours. Glancing up toward Gotham’s clock tower, he could see that nearly two hours had passed already, and still no leads or clues.

“Holy dead-end…” Robin mumbled, crossing his arms, “Guess I was wrong.” Then again, Batman hadn’t called him yet, so he probably didn’t find anything either. “Maybe she’s already gone…” An extra bit of disappointment tugged at his heart - it sure would’ve been amazing to see her again - but he quickly shook it off.

“I’ve just got to keep working at it… She has to be somewhere! Maybe she’s not interested in food at all. Maybe she just wanted to find the perfect place to hide, or-!” He stopped, his eyes widening. “Or maybe… She wanted to find both!”

Not wanting to waste anymore time, the Boy Wonder doubled back. But this time, he didn’t go inside the various businesses - or at least, not the ones that were open. While Gotham did have quite a bit of a nightlife and plenty of venues that catered to those interested, there were still businesses that would close up as soon as it started to get dark. Cafes that really only served breakfast and lunch items, or stores that didn’t have the employees needed to stay open all night.

So, Robin started looking through the windows of these businesses, and even started looking down the alleyways that were beside or behind them. “If someone is looking for food but doesn’t want to be seen,” he mumbled to himself, “Then their only option is to go somewhere with no humans but plenty of food.”

Turning the corner, the young hero’s immediately landed on the site of one of Gotham’s first shops. A general store, family owned and practically a historic landmark to their downtown area, with the shop owner’s wife having charmed even the most hardened and bitter citizens with her homemade fudge. No one wanted to see the store go, but Mr. McArnold was a bit stubborn. He rarely hired anyone who wasn’t part of his immediate family, and that combined with him and his wife getting older meant that the store was usually closed by four in the afternoon.

“Perfect…” Racing over to the old building, Robin peered in through the large shop window. Sure enough, he could see several bags and wrappers along the floor, and the door to the backroom was opened too. Glancing over, he could see that the shop doors themselves were opened, the handle on one of them being dented and bent slight with its lock broken.

Immediately, Robin got out his communicator. “Batman to Robin. Come in, Batman!”

A couple seconds passed. _“...This is Batman. Robin, did you find something?”_

“Yes, at the McArnold Family General Store,” he replied, “It looks like she broke in. Not too much damage done though. ...I don’t know if she’s still in there or not, but we could probably find some clues.”

_“Good work. I’m already on my way back to Gotham, so I should be there soon. Wait for me.”_

“Got it.” Placing his bat-communicator back on his belt, Robin glanced back up and through the window. “...Sure looks dead in there.” Then again, he couldn’t see what was going on in the back… “And if she is still there, she could escape through the back door before we could even try to talk to her…”

He bit his lip slightly. He knew he was supposed to wait, but… Taking a deep breath, Robin grabbed the damaged door handle, and slowly went inside.

As soon as he entered the old shop, he could start to hear noises. Plenty of munching, with the occasional shuffling of something (probably boxes). Good. She was still there. Now all he had to do was make sure she stayed until Batman arrived.

Holding his breath slightly, Robin continued moving further into the shop. His steps were silent, and careful footwork kept him from stepping on the various wrappers and accidentally making himself known. Once he reached the door, he peeked in. And honestly… She was even more amazing up close.

Her height, her muscles, her beauty… And her hair! It really did look like flames at the end of it - how was that even possible?! - and the hair itself was long enough to nearly touch the floor! Though, the more he looked, the more Robin stopped noticing these things.

Instead, he focused on her face. She looked concerned, almost upset. The way she ate was mechanical in a way, as if she really was only eating to regain strength and didn’t bother to notice the taste of the homemade popcorn or the chips she was eating. Even her eyes showed a bit more emotion now, the bright green now faded a bit, revealing dark green irises.

“...” He still wasn’t completely sure if it was the right mood, but at that moment, Robin just couldn’t help himself. He took a full step into the room. “Excuse m-”

The alien girl gasped. The bags in her hands were turned to ash as a bright green light engulfed them. And soon enough, those fists of green energy were pointed right at Robin. She yelled something at him that he couldn’t understand, but he had a feeling he knew what she was trying to say.

“I-It’s okay, it’s okay!” Robin told her, raising his own hands in surrender, “I’m not going to hurt you. I’m a good guy - I’ve been deputized by the police here and everything. I just want to talk.”

Her eyes - once again a single, burning bright green - never faltered as she glared at him.

“My name is Robin,” he continued, lowering his voice a bit, “And I’m just trying to help-” He dared to take another step forward.

The alien yelled again, her fists getting brighter. ...All while taking a step back, instead of a step forward.

In that moment, Robin’s own words began to come back to him. _She just looked scared… Anxious…_ There was no doubt in the young hero’s mind that she could fight him if she really wanted to. She could probably even hurt or kill him, given her powers. But she didn’t WANT to do that, at least not yet. Not until she knew what he would - or could - do to her.

“...” Robin’s hands started to go to his utility belt. The alien growled, mumbling something as she took a step forward. But Robin’s hands stayed steady as they moved towards the center of his belt. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to help.” Slowly, he unhooked the belt, lifted it up- and tossed it out the door and into the shop. “See? I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeated.

The alien stared at him for what felt like ages, until finally she lowered her own hands, the balls of energy that had surrounded them fading a bit.

Robin smiled a bit. “Good… I’m glad we’re starting to trust each other.” He took a step forward. The alien didn’t move or flinch, so he took another. They were only about a foot or so apart now. “I know you’re probably scared, but we just want to help. We can help you get your ship rebuilt, and then you can go home! That’s what you want, right?”

The alien continued to stare. Whether it was because she couldn’t understand him or because she just wanted to keep an eye on him, Robin didn’t know.

“Um, you know, home?” he said, pointing up towards the ceiling, “We can help. And, maybe find a better way of communicating with you too… So-” He held out his hand. “Will you accept our help?”

A few seconds passed. Then a few more. Neither one of them moved. After a while, Robin began to lower his hand, frowning a bit now. “Okay… That’s okay. I know I’m just a stranger, so-”

Suddenly, the alien girl reached out, grabbing his hand tightly. Robin blinked. Well, alright! Maybe she did want their-!

Still keeping a tight grip on his hand, the girl pulled him towards her, lifting him up a bit while she lowered herself slightly, until they were face to face. ...Or rather, lips to lips.

Robin’s eyes widened. Kissing… Kissing?! Holy lip-lock, she was _kissing him?!_ But, why? Where did that even come from?!

The Boy Wonder could barely even ponder these questions though, because the kiss ended as soon as it had started, with the alien even shoving him backwards for good measure.

She narrowed her eyes a bit, and spoke. “I have no business with you and your people. Now, leave me alone.” With that, she turned and started to head towards the back door.

Despite still being a bit dazed, Robin knew he had to keep her here just a bit longer! “W-Wait! Wait!” And this time, it was him who grabbed her hand (or rather, her wrist). “Please, just-!”

“I said, _leave me alone!_ ” the girl repeated as she raised her other hand to form another ball of energy.

Robin wilted slightly at the intense light and heat from it, but still refused to let go. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you leave!” he told her, “There are people looking for you! We don’t want to hurt you, we just want to know why you’re here and-”

“Why I’m here is none of your concern!” she yelled, “And I will not let anyone else keep me as a pris-!”

“ROBIN!”

Completely forgetting about each other for the moment, both Robin and the alien looked over to the doorway, where Batman was standing and looking about as shocked as they were. When he noticed that a bat-a-rang was already in his guardian’s hand, Robin quickly spoke up. “Batman, wait! She’s not a-”

Glancing over at Robin for just a moment, the alien scowled. With great ease and speed she was able to twist her wrist, reversing the hold Robin had on her and once again grabbing him. Once that was done, she raced out the door. “H-Hey!” she heard the younger hero call out, “Wait, what-?”

No sooner had they reached the back alley of the shop did their feet leave the ground. Robin yelped, now using both his hands to hold onto her. They had gotten off the ground and above the shop so fast! And the alien herself was simply holding him like a young child would drag around their doll (really, it would’ve been a pretty amazing feat if not for the situation he had found himself in).

Frankly, even when compared to all the awful death traps he had found himself in over the years, this was still pretty terrifying!

“Robin! Hang on!” he heard Batman yell from below. Taking aim, the Caped Crusader threw a bat-a-rang and bat-rope towards them, hoping that it would either wrap around his sidekick’s ankles, allowing him to possibly pull him free from the alien’s grip, or perhaps even injure the alien herself and cause her to land (or at least slow down).

But the girl noticed the projectile hurtling towards her almost immediately and easily dodged it before continuing her flight. Again, Batman yelled something after them, but they were too far to hear it.

Robin shivered as the harsh wind blew past them, his knuckles already sore from how tightly he was holding on. However, the alien didn’t look winded in the slightest, so he supposed he could take SOME comfort in that. At least she wouldn’t drop him.

...Well, he _hoped_ she wouldn’t drop him!

Thankfully, as it turned out, their flight together didn’t last very long. Definitely a relief for the Boy Wonder! They ended up landing on an abandoned building that was nearly on the other side of the city (Robin wasn’t sure which one though, given that there were so many of these abandoned buildings and factories around Gotham, and really at that point, it didn’t matter much).

Once they touched down on the dusty roof, Robin felt himself get shoved aside once again.

“...” The alien gave him another glare. “I told you to leave me alone.”

“I know, and I’m sorry…” Robin said quietly. After a moment though, he spoke up again. “Say, if you didn’t want me around you, why’d you take me with you?” If she was strong enough to lift him up by his wrist, surely she was strong enough to break any sort of grip he’d had on her and just toss him away.

The girl paused. “I didn’t want to, but then I thought that if I had an Earthling with me, the others would be less likely to attack me directly out of fear of injuring you in the process.”

“Ah.” Robin nodded. So it was basically a hostage situation. ...Perhaps he should’ve been a bit more concerned that he was so familiar with this sort of situation, but he pushed that thought to the back of his mind for now. “Well… You seem a bit nicer than most of the other kidnappers I’ve had to deal with.”

Understandably, she gave him a bit of a curious look for that, but didn’t comment on it.

Giving a small sigh, Robin sat down. After all that, he needed a bit of a breather. “...So, what’s your name?” he asked. When she didn’t reply, he added, “You already know my name - Robin - and I just want to know yours. That’s all.”

She glanced over at him again. “...My name is Koriand’r. Koriand’r of Tamaran.”

“Koriand’r…”

“I believe in your tongue, it translates to ‘star’ and ‘fire’,” she told him, “So, I suppose you may call me that if it’s easier for you.”

“‘Star Fire’, huh?” Robin smiled a bit. “Well, it certainly fits,” he said as he gestured slightly to her hair, “But Koriand’r is a really pretty name too.”

Koriand’r didn’t say anything to this, though Robin did notice that she wasn’t glaring at him as much anymore. Still, he wanted to try and keep the conversation going. “Does everyone on your planet have fire in their hair like you do?”

“...Most do,” Koriand’r answered after a moment, “Especially if their hair is longer. But we do not all have the same hair color. For most it’s red, but for some it is violet, pink or black.”

“Gosh…” He could only imagine the sight of such a thing. “If they’ve got hair like that, and are as tall and strong and powerful as you, well… Your people must be pretty amazing!”

Koriand’r blinked, looking at him directly now. (He noticed that her eyes were somewhat dull again. No longer completely green and glowing… but still just as pretty.) “...Thank you.” She smiled, just a little, and started to sit down. They still weren’t directly beside each other - there was about a foot or so of space in-between them again - but Robin still appreciated the gesture just as much as she appreciated his compliment. “Now, I have a question about you and your people, Robin,” she stated.

Robin sat up slightly, hoping that whatever question she had he could answer (and maybe give her a good impression of ‘earthlings’ in the process). “Oh! Sure. What is it?”

“Why do you and-” She paused, trying to remember. “...You and the ‘man of bats’ wear masks? I’ve seen plenty of other earthlings in your city, and none of them wear masks. So why do you two wear them?”

“Oh, that!” Robin chuckled slightly. Not quite what he was expecting, but he supposed it was a bit strange. “Well, it’s because Batman and I are crime fighters! Sort of like the police, but we’re also detectives too! We fight super villains and try to help bring justice to Gotham City! As for the masks, we wear them to protect our secret identities. If any of our enemies knew who we really were, they could use that knowledge to attack the people and things we care about the most, just to get to us!”

“Ah, I see…” Koriand’r nodded, “That makes sense. You and your father must live very exciting and dangerous lives then if-”

“F-Father?” Robin repeated, flinching slightly, “Oh, no, Batman’s not-... Well, I mean, he is my guardian and, and I do sorta think of him as a father figure but…” He glanced down at his lap. “My actual father died a long time ago. He and my mother both…”

“...I am sorry to hear that.” Koriand’r said quietly, “And, it would seem that my parents shared the same fate as yours…” She closed her eyes. “My sister and I were told that we should be proud of them. Their deaths on the battlefield were considered honorable ones. And I am proud, but… that does not stop me from missing them.”

Robin nodded, staying silent for just a moment. “...I-It’s not all bad though. We both still have people who care about us…” He still had Aunt Harriet and Alfred and Bruce. He still had Batman, and he would always be grateful for that.

Again, Koriand’r didn’t say anything. She just sat there, eyes closed and completely silent.

“...So, um, maybe you could tell me a bit more about Tomoron?” Robin suggested, “Or, maybe about your sis-?”

“Tamaran,” Koriand’r corrected, “And I would rather not.”

“Oh. Okay, well…” Robin rubbed the back of his neck. He really needed to get some information from her before she decided to fly away again. “Gee, can’t you at least tell me why you came here to Earth-?”

“ _No,._ ” she said firmly, her glare returning as her eyes opened.

“...Okay.” Robin glanced away. “Sorry for being nosy. I was just sorta curious but, you’re right, it’s really none of my business.”

There was a long stretch of silence between them. The sun continued to fall. Faint stars above could start to be seen while the city in front of them began to light up like a Christmas tree. “...I did not come here on purpose,” he heard Koriand’r say quietly, “And I’d like to leave as soon as I can.”

Being a detective-in-training, Robin couldn’t help but question that single statement. Where had she been going if she didn’t want to go to Earth? Why was she leaving her home planet in the first place? What made her crash?

But again, the Boy Wonder found himself pushing all these questions aside for now, not minding too much that he didn’t have answers. If she didn’t want to answer them, then that was fine. Honestly, he couldn’t blame her.

However, he did have one answer for her. “Well, we can help you leave. We can get the things you need to rebuild your ship, and-”

“Why would you want to help me?” Koriand’r retorted, “You do not even know me. I am a stranger to not only you, but this planet as well. You also do not owe me anything, so why would you want to help me?”

Robin simply smiled at her. “Because that’s what a super hero does. They help those who need help. ...And even if they didn’t, I want to help you. And, maybe the reason that I want to is, well, just because!”

Koriand’r tilted her head slightly. “Just… because?”

The Boy Wonder nodded. “Just because. And I know other people that would want to help you out too.”

“Like the Bat Man?”

“Exactly. You wouldn’t have to do anything or give us anything in return either. Just let us help you get home, or to wherever you want to go! So… What do you say?”

And for the second time that day, Robin stuck out his hand, offering it to the alien girl.

“...You and your people are strange ones,” she started to say, “But… That does not necessarily make you bad… Or, at least, _you_ do not seem bad.”

“I’m not,” he told her, giving a firm nod, “I promise. So…?”

Koriand’r looked at his gloved hand, and then back at him. “...Okay.” She moved towards him, extending her own hand, and-

A loud whirring sound - or maybe it was more like a roar - seemed to come out of nowhere, making them both take a step back. But, before either one of them could question it, a bright light rose from the edge of the rooftop, shining right in their faces.

“What is that?!” Koriand’r asked. She was now hovering just above the roof, though she wasn’t flying away just yet.

“It’s a helicopter!” Robin shouted back at her, using his arm to try and shield himself from some of the light. Though, as he took a second look, he could start to see a very distinct pair of plastic bat wings attached to the helicopter! And there was only one helicopter - one person in Gotham - that had those.

The young hero gave a bit of a groan. “Holy bad timing…”

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as the Bat-Helicopter landed, the light on the front of it was shut off, and a figure jumped out of it. “Rob-!”

“I’m okay!” Robin said immediately, running towards the Caped Crusader, “Don’t worry, Batman! I’m alright.”

Batman stared at him for a moment, wanting to see for himself that his ward really was alright. Once he was sure of this, only then did he let himself relax, just a little. “Alright… Now, where’s-?”

Robin stepped aside, and gestured towards Koriand’r. She was still standing near the center of the roof, holding her hands behind her back. “Batman, this is Koriand’r of Tamaran.”

Batman looked at her, his face still stern, almost unreadable. “Koriand’r…”

The girl gave him a small, slightly demure smile. “You may call me ‘Star Fire’ if that is easier for you to say, Bat Man.”

The hero’s eyes widened slightly. So she did speak English… He looked back over at his sidekick. “Did you learn why she’s here?” he asked quietly.

“Well…” Robin rubbed the back of his neck. “I know she didn’t come here on purpose, and she’s not here to hurt us. She just wants to fix her ship and be on her way. And we can help with that, right?”

Batman didn’t answer right away. Glancing up again, he saw Koriand’r staring back at him intensely - though, not necessarily out of anger or even fear. “I can promise you, Bat Man,” she began to say, her voice unwavering, “That as soon as my ship is repaired, I will leave this planet and never return.” Robin frowned at that, but didn’t say anything. “You have my word that my stay here will be short.”

“...And, with our help it will be even shorter,” Batman added, “Don’t fret, ma’am. Robin and I will help you in any way we can, and you’ll be on your way back to your home planet in no time.”

Again, Koriand’r gave him a small smile. “Thank you.” She then looked back at Robin, still smiling and silently thanking him as well. 

“However, before we can get started on any plans or preparations, it would do us some good to put our local law enforcements and citizens at ease.” Batman put his hand on the Bat-Helicopter, preparing to hop back in. “Starfire, could you please follow us back to the Gotham City Police Department.” The girl thought for a moment, then nodded. “Thank you. Robin?”

“Right.” The Boy Wonder quickly went to the other side of the Bat-Helicopter and got in. It didn’t take long for the duo to be back in the skies, with Koriand’r making sure to fly right beside them. But even if she wasn’t doing any special maneuvers or even going that fast, Robin couldn’t help but watch her. He had heard rumors of some heroes in other cities being able to fly but, he’d never actually seen a person flying! Gosh, she really was incredible…

But without warning, Koriand’r turned her head and looked at him, tilting her head slightly as if to say “What?”. Flinching a bit, Robin looked away, suddenly much more interested in the floor of the Bat-Helicopter as he chided himself. It wasn’t polite to stare, after all, and he didn’t want to get on her bad side after everything that had happened.

Though, he could’ve sworn he heard a light giggle on the wind as soon as he looked away…

()()()()()()()()()()

“-So that’s the situation, Commissioner. Feel free to spread the word and let people know that they have nothing to worry about.”

“Thank goodness for that!” Commissioner Gordon smiled, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. After putting the cloth away, he stood up and extended his hand. “Well, Miss Starfire, we welcome you to our city - and our planet.”

Koriand’r took it, shaking the man’s hand for only a moment or two. “Thank you, Commissioner Gordon,” she nodded, “And as I’ve said, I will only be staying here for a short time, so I hope to not be too much of a bother.”

“Aw, don’t worry about it, miss!” Chief O’Hara insisted, “As long as you aren’t hurtin’ anyone, you won’t be any bother at all!”

“Now, I’m sure you’re tired after your trip, so-” Gordon started to pick up his phone, “Why don’t we set you up in a lovely room at Gotham Heights? It’s our best 5-star hotel, so I’m sure you’ll be quite comfortable-"

“But…” Koriand’r looked over at the two heroes. “I thought Robin and the Bat Man would be helping me. I assumed I would be staying at their home for the time being.”

“Well, of course they’ll be helping you,” Gordon nodded, “But they also have other work that needs to be done. They are crime-fighters, after all.”

“Besides, an underground bat-cave is no place for a lovely young lass such as yerself to be stayin’ while they’re out an’ about!” O’Hara added, “So you’re better off just stayin’ in a hotel where they can pick you up when they have a free moment!”

Koriand’r’s frown deepened. Clearly it didn’t matter how comfortable this hotel was, it still wasn’t what she had planned on...

Robin held back a sigh, and instead lightly squeezed his fist. (This had become a bit of a nervous twitch for him, though at least it looked tougher than most, since it usually looked like he was just punching his hand.) Really, he couldn’t blame her for being so unsure. This was still an unfamiliar planet to her, so of course she wouldn’t want to be alone, not sure where to go or how long she would have to wait for the people who were supposed to help her. 

But… Maybe that wasn’t the only option.

“ _ Psst! _ Batman!” Robin whispered. Batman glanced over at him. “Maybe we could ask…?” As he trailed off, he looked up at his guardian with big, questioning eyes. There was no need for him to finish that thought, for they both knew just ‘who’ they would have to ask. Batman furrowed his brow. It was certainly risky… But, at the same time, it just wasn’t in him to resist someone who was asking for help - especially when that person’s only real ‘crime’ was an accident, and all they really wanted above all else was to go home.

“...Commissioner?”

Gordon paused, putting his hand over the bottom half of the phone. “Yes, Batman?”

“I was thinking… Perhaps we could send Starfire to live with our mutual friend Bruce Wayne while she’s here instead of at a hotel.” Robin grinned, nodding. “After all,” Batman continued, “Mr. Wayne is a model citizen, which would make him a great host, not to mention all the room he has in his stately manor.”

“Well now… I never would’ve thought of that!” Gordon exclaimed, “But when you’re right, you’re right! It would be a good place for any house guest, just as long as he didn’t mind-”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t,” Robin said quickly. Though, after Batman gave him a bit of a look, he added, “But uh, we’ll be sure to ask him personally, just in case.”

“Of course. Well then, Miss Starfire? Would you prefer to stay in Gotham Heights, or would you rather stay with Mr. Wayne?”

Honestly, Koriand’r didn’t really know the difference between the two options (at least not yet). But Batman and Robin did know this ‘Mr. Wayne’ personally, and they had suggested it themselves, so… “I would like to stay with Mr. Wayne, please.”

“Very good,” Batman nodded, “We will give you a ride over to Stately Wayne Manor, then. Come along, both of you. To the Batmobile.” 

And as Batman took a moment to thank the two officers for their time before their departure, Robin walked over to Koriand’r. “I think you’re really going to like Wayne Manor,” he quietly told her, “It’s a pretty amazing place.”

“Yes, but… What can you tell me about Mr. Wayne?” she questioned, still not looking entirely sure.

But Robin just chuckled slightly. “Gosh, I can tell you plenty! But uh, I can’t tell you until we actually get to Wayne Manor. Wouldn’t want anyone else to hear…”

It was a bit of a tight squeeze, with two seats in the Batmobile and three people, but not impossible. And at least the drive from Gotham to the hidden cave entrance was much of a long one. The sun was almost completely down now, and as they drove further out into rural areas, the stars above them seemed to be even brighter now. Koriand’r couldn’t take her eyes off them.

“...Can you see your planet?” Robin asked, looking up as well.

“No, though I can guess where it might be,” Koriand’r replied quietly. She lifted her hand, waving it across their view. “Somewhere near these two star clusters.”

“Oh! That’s Pegasus up there!” he told her, remembering Bruce’s astronomy lessons, “And Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, I think.”

Koriand’r smiled a bit. “Earthlings have very interesting names for their constellations. Are they based on legends?”

“Yeah! Most of them are. Speaking of which, I think Hercules is somewhere around here…”

After several more minutes, they finally made it to the hidden cave entrance, not even slowing down as the rock-door opened automatically and allowed them to go down the long path into the underground cave…

“...This is quite different from most caves I’ve seen,” Koriand’r mumbled. 

“That’s because this cave is special,” Batman explained, “Altered and shaped over many years, filled with our most advanced technology and gadgetry in order to make it the perfect hidden crime-lab.” 

“I see…” And once they reached the actual Batcave, Koriand’r amazement only grew. Barely waiting until the car stopped, she slowly flew around cave, looking at each computer, desk and machine. “It’s amazing… Almost like our scientists labs on Tamaran!”

“Yep!” Robin smiled proudly, “We only use the best for Gotham!”

“Perhaps we could give you a tour sometime. But for now-” Batman’s face became stern once more, “There is another matter to discuss. I think it’s time for you to meet ‘Mr. Wayne’...”

“And his youthful ward too,” Robin added as both he and Batman put their hands on their faces. In unison, they took off their masks. And of course, Koriand’r looked a bit surprised. “But, we should tell you our real names. I-”

“You both were at my crash sight!” she exclaimed suddenly. 

Bruce blinked. “You remember us?”

“Of course,” Koriand’r nodded, “There were many earthlings there, but you two were the only ones who weren’t cowering at the sight of me.”

“Right… Please don’t think too critically of our fellow Gotham citizens, they were just caught off guard and were being cautious.” The girl nodded again, understanding completely. If a strange creature that they had never heard of landed on Tamaran, she was sure her people would’ve been just as cautious (and perhaps even a bit more hostile…).  

“Anyway,” Bruce continued, “My true identity is Bruce Wayne, and Robin’s is Dick Grayson. However, no one else in Gotham knows this, and no one can know it because-”

“Because if any of your enemies knew who you actually are, they could use that knowledge to attack the people and things you care about the most in order to get you to surrender,” Koriand’r quoted, causing Bruce to blink in surprise. 

“That… Right. But, how-?” “Do not worry, Robin already told me.”

Bruce blinked again, then turned to his ward, who was giving a bit of a sheepish smile. “Well… She did ask about the masks, so...”

“Just as I promised to only do what is necessary for my departure while here on Earth, I can assure you that I will not reveal your true identities to anyway,” Koriand’r assured, “On my honor.”

The Dynamic Duo smiled. “That’s good to hear,” Bruce told her, “Now, with that taken care of, I think it’s time that you see the rest of our home. Besides, it’s almost supper time.”

He then directed Koriand’r to the service elevator with the instructions to take it up to the study and wait there for them. 

So, that’s what Koriand’r did, and once she reached the manor, it didn’t take long for Bruce and Dick to catch up. She watched as what looked to be just an ordinary bookcase was pushed aside like a sliding door, and up the two golden firehouse poles came Bruce and Dick. Bruce was now wearing a white dress-shirt, a dark blue jacket, brown pants and a short red scarf around his neck that was tucked into his shirt. Next to him, Dick was dressed a bit more simply with a red sweater and jeans, though he still looked nice. 

“I think I am starting to see how people can’t tell you from your identities,” Koriand’r commented as they made their way from the study to the living room, and on into the dining-

“ _ There _ you two are!” a older woman shouted, standing up from the couch, “Landsake, I was thinking you two would never-!” Aunt Harriet stopped, her eyes finally landing on Koriand’r - who in turn was staring right back at her. “Oh my…! I, I-I saw you on the news! She’s the-! The-!”

“Don’t be alarmed, Aunt Harriet,” Bruce said, stepping in, “She means no harm.”

“Yeah, Aunt Harriet,” Dick added, frowning a bit now, “She’s just gonna be staying with us a bit until she can go back home!”

Harriet frowned, clutching her pearls slightly. “But… Goodness, Dick, I don’t know… This is all just…” Just then, Koriand’r stepped forward, bowing slightly.

“My apologies… My name is Koriand’r of Tamaran,” Koriand’r explained, “I understand that my arrival is… surprising, but I can promise that I won’t be here long. I hope that I am not a bother to you, Miss Aunt Harriet.”

Harriet gave a small sigh, her eyes still locked on the tall alien girl in front of her. “Well now… Aren’t you just  _ lovely?”  _ She smiled, clasping her hands together. “Oh, and so polite too!” The trio instantly relaxed, relieved to know that there wouldn’t be any tension between Aunt Harriet and their new houseguest. 

Koriand’r smiled at her. “Thank you, and you seem quite lovely and polite as well!”

Harriet giggled. “Oh, thank you, dear!” After a moment though, her smile faltered a bit. “...Are, are you comfortable wearing that?” she asked, gesturing to the girl’s slightly revealing outfit. 

Koriand’r glanced down at herself while the two men next to her once again held their breath. “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Oh my, no! Not at all! In fact, if I was younger, I might try wearing something like it,” Harriet told her, giggling slightly, “It’s just, well, this isn’t the beach. I just don’t want you catching a chill while you’re here.”

“Oh!” Smiling once again, Koriand’r shook her head. “Your concern is appreciated, Miss Aunt Harriet, but it would take much colder temperatures to give me a ‘chill’, so I will be fine. ...Still, perhaps sometime to you show me where I can find new clothing that I can wear while I’m here.”

Harriet gasped, grinning again. “Oh, I would LOVE to!” Bruce and Dick shared a smile. There was no doubt now that Koriand’r would be welcomed by everyone in the manor.

“Ahem?” The group turned to the entrance of the dining room, where Alfred now stood. As was to be expected, Alfred didn’t flinch at the sight of the alien girl, or even really look surprised. Just like he did with most things, he took it in stride. To the old butler, Koriand’r was just another house guest, and that was that. “Are we ready for supper?” he asked.

“I think we are, Alfred,” Bruce answered, “After the day we all had, I’m sure we could all use one of your great meals.”

“Koriand’r,” Dick started to say as he gestured over to the older gentleman, “This is Alfred, he’s our-”

“Ah, he’s your k’norfka!” Koriand’r grinned, “Of course! It is wonderful to meet you!”

While the others looked confused at this, Alfred just bowed to her. “It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Koriand’r,” he told her, a light smile now on his face.

“Um, Kory? What’s a… k’norfka?” Dick asked, silently hoping it didn’t mean something like ‘slave’ or ‘servant’. 

“A k’norfka is the most important role a person outside of the family can have in the house,” Koriand’r explained, “They are the guardian and the caregiver of the house’s children. When the parents are not available, they protect, give love and care, and are loved in return by the children they look after.” Her smile softened a bit. “And if your Alfred is anything like my Galfore, then I am sure he is a great k’norfka.”

“Well, here we call him a butler, but…” Bruce smiled over at Alfred, who quickly returned it. “I think in this case, k’norfka would work too.”

Heading into the dining room, they could all see that the food for tonight’s meal (herb roasted chicken with plenty of great side dishes and a couple salads) was already spread out on the table. Bruce took his place at the head of the table while Dick and Harriet sat on each side of him. Unsurprisingly, Koriand’r chose to sit next to Dick, a choice that the boy clearly didn’t mind. Alfred also took a moment to get out some extra condiments and seasonings, just in case their guest was used to a particular flavor.

Not wanting to appear greedy, Koriand’r began cutting up the chicken that was already on her plate as she let the others choose what side dishes they wanted first. Taking a bite, she smiled a bit. At least the meat on Earth wasn’t too different than the meat on Tamaran. 

“How do you like it?” she heard Dick ask. 

She gave him a small smile. “It’s good,” she said simply. After a moment though, she looked over at the various condiments in front of her. “May I use these?”

“Of course, dear! That’s what they’re there for,” Harriet told her, “I’d recommend the salt and pepper on the mashed potatoes. Gives it just a bit of extra flavor.”

Koriand’r picked up each condiment, looking at it carefully and even smelling a couple of them. She only stopped when she reached the short, yellow jar. She hummed, taking the spoon from it and spreading the yellow goop within it onto her chicken. Once that was done, she took a bite - and her green eyes practically sparkled.

In a flash, she began grabbing the various side dishes, taking about a small spoonful from each and piling it all onto each other rather than putting the food in separate spots on her plate. Vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms, salad - all of it got mixed together and topped off with a huge yellow glob. Once that was mixed in, Koriand’r took a bite, making sure her fork now had an equal amount of chicken, side-dish mix and condiment on it. And as soon as it touched her tastebuds, she practically sang!

“Mmmm~! Delicious!” she told them, “Wonderful!” Koriand’r continued to eat while everyone else still couldn’t quite bring themselves to look away just yet. 

As for Alfred, he began walking back into the kitchen. “I shall go fetch the spare jar of mustard from the cupboard.”

Soon enough, the sound of light dinner conversation filled the room as all of them continued to eat. Even with the extra person at the table, the mood in the room was still pleasant and relaxed. Harriet was eager to share several facts about Earth, from fashion and pop culture to her own interests like gardening and classical music. Given that it was all fairly interesting, Koriand’r didn’t mind this at all. 

Though, whenever Harriet wasn’t directing the conversation, it was often Dick controlling it instead. As with most conversations in Wayne Manor, Batman and Robin eventually became the main subject, and no one was more excited to talk about the Dynamic Duo’s adventures than Dick. Several stories were shared, all of them not just impressive but also, as Koriand’r would later claim, very enjoyable to listen to. And there were even moments when Bruce or Alfred would jump in, adding a detail that Dick would accidentally leave out or stopping the story to offer some background information. 

Really, the only one who wasn’t sharing something was Koriand’r, but that was more than alright with her. Sometimes, it really was nice to just listen. And besides, what she had to share was… Well, she doubted that anyone would want to hear it. 

Eventually though, all of their stomachs were filled, and it would soon be time for all of them to go to bed. “I can show you to your bedroom, if you’d like,” Alfred offered.

“And you can borrow one of my nightgowns for tonight,” Harriet added, “It may be a bit big on you, but at least it’ll be comfortable.”

Koriand’r smiled. “Thank you, that would be appreciated.”

The guest bedrooms at Wayne Manor were, of course, just as nice as the main ones. In particular, the room that Starfire was given had walls that had red wallpaper with a pink, flowery pattern. The room was also carpeted with a small desk in chair in the corner, a decent-sized closet and, finally, a queen-size bed with several pillows. 

Koriand’r sat on it, pushing down on the mattress with her hands. The material was so soft, yet still firm and secure. Although, when she laid down, she found herself struggling with the pillows. How did one get so comfortable with such things surrounding their head? Finding them to be too soft, she eventually just pushed them onto the floor. Just the mattress and the plush blanket would be enough for her. 

Wanting to be truly comfortable, she began taking off her boots. But before she could finish that, there was a knock at her door. “Hello?” she called out curiously, “Miss Aunt Harriet?”

“Uh, no,” a familiar voice answered from the other side, “It’s me.”

Koriand’r smiled. “One moment.” She slipped off her boots and stood up, going to the door. “Hello, Dick.”

“Hi,” Dick smiled back at her, “So, everything okay? Your room’s alright, right?”

“Yes, it will be fine,” Koriand’r nodded, “So, will we begin working on my ship tomorrow?”

“Oh, yeah! Just start figuring out what you’ll need, and we’ll start making plans! We’ll probably need to grab your ship too at some point, but that shouldn’t be too hard.” Last he’d heard, it had been taken to the GCPD, but now that the commissioner and chief knew what Batman and Robin would be doing with it, he was sure they’d get it back with no trouble at all.

Koriand’r nodded, instantly looking relieved at that. Dick noticed, but tried not to focus too much on it. She just wanted to go home, after all. Nothing wrong with that. ...Still… “Say, Kory?”

“Hm? Yes?” she said, looking at him.

“Just… I’m really glad that you agreed to stay with us, and that you’re letting us help,” Dick smiled.

The girl stared at him for a moment before smiling. It was small, but it was also genuine. There was no doubt about that. “Well… Thank you for offering. It was very kind of you, and…” She paused, almost as if she wanted to say something else. “...Thank you,” she finally repeated.

“Yeah, no problem! So, um…" Dick glanced away slightly, trying not to blush too much. Koriand'r watched him. Clearly he still had something on his mind. "Sorry but, I was just wondering... Why did you, uh... W-Why did you kiss me earlier?"

Koriand'r blinked. "I didn't kiss you."

This time, Dick looked a bit confused. "I... I'm pretty sure you did."

"I think I know why you may be confused." Most species usually were, since as far as she knew, Tamaranians were the only ones with this ability. "Tamaranians can learn language through lip contact. There was no emotion or meaning behind the action since you were just a stranger to me then, so the act was only one of learning, not one of romance."

Dick stared at her for several seconds. "Oh... OH. That, that actually makes much more sense then. And... that's actually really neat! You don't even have to study other languages then, you can just learn the automatically. Heh, I wish I could do that." Though, after a moment, he grimaced. "Then again, I don't think I'd want to kiss any of my language teachers..."

"As I said, if there is no meaning or emotion behind it, it would not be a true kiss," Koriand'r repeated, though she still looked a bit amused.

"Heh, right." Well, with that out of the way, he could move on to the other thing on his mind. "...So, say, Kory. Um, I mean, if you aren't planning on sleeping right away, would you want to maybe…” Dick paused, trying to keep his voice steady, “Maybe hang out a bit before bed?”

Koriand’r blinked. “...Hang, out?” She looked towards a nearby window. “Do you mean on a tree branch? Or perhaps on the roof?”

“Oh! N-No, no, sorry, I mean, did you want to spend some time together before bed?” Dick tried, “Maybe we could listen to the radio a bit? Or- Oh, say, I think ‘Gotham Palace’ may still be on right now. We could watch some tv for a bit too.”

“Well… I am a bit curious,” Koriand’r admitted. Television wasn’t exactly something they had on Tamaran. If you wanted to see an event, you had to see it live. So, it would be interesting to see a sort of shrunk-down version of it through a screen. “I think I would like to watch the television and ‘hang out’ for a bit, yes.”

Dick grinned. “Great! Heh, maybe we could have Alfred make us some popcorn too-”

“Oh, excuse me.”

The two looked and saw Bruce now standing beside them, and Dick felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” the millionaire began, “But… Well, I’m afraid that Egghead thought that with all the commotion from today, tonight would be the perfect chance to try and get away with a new scheme while people are distracted.”

Dick groaned. “Not him again.” He always seemed to end up with egg in his hair whenever they faced Egghead. What a pain! Still, duty calls, and Dick wasn’t about to start skipping out on missions now. So, he turned back to Koriand’r. “I guess we could hang out tomorrow night… Sorry about that.”

But Koriand’r just gave him a smile. “It’s fine. Now that I am thinking about it, I believe I will begin sleeping soon, so I do not mind. And as you said, tomorrow will be just as good for hanging out.”

Despite his disappointment, Dick still smiled back at her. “Yeah… Alright well, I should probably get going. So, uh, heh, nighty night? Er, uh, I mean, h-have a good sleep! Goodnight!”

Raising an eyebrow, Koriand’r smirked slightly at him (as did Bruce), “And a good night to you as well, Dick.”

“Right…” Keeping his eyes to the floor, Dick began walking back towards the study while Koriand’r shut her door. “Let’s go,” he mumbled.

“Alright.” Bruce made sure to stay a couple steps behind his ward - though, even from that distance, he could catch the bright red now on the boy’s cheeks. Bruce held back a chuckle.

Yes, the next few days were sure to be interesting, thanks to their new houseguest from the stars. He just hoped that the boy wouldn’t get TOO flustered while she was there.

**TO BE CONTINUED!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tfw you’re trying to be friendly/nice and end up saying something weird/embarrassing. Lol, gotta love those first crushes. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter! Thanks again for all the kudos and comments (seriously, the two comments I’ve gotten were SO NICE! Thank you so much! ^v^). I’ve got the rest of this story completely planned out now, which means that as long as I still get time to write every few days, the following chapters should be out fairly soon. So, see you all in the next one!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, sorry this next chapter took a while… Work’s been keeping me busy, plus I had some personal issues… But hey! Guess who got the complete Batman ‘66 series boxset for Christmas?! Heh, I’m only like twelve or so episodes into it, but I’m really enjoying it so far! So yeah, I shouldn’t have any problem staying interested in the ‘66 universe, lol. Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!

Earth was certainly different from Tamaran. The people, the culture, even the color of the sky was different. However, the two planets did still share a few things in common, and Koriand’r was glad that breakfast was one of them - and even if the food itself was different, it still looked delicious!

“Thank you, Alfred,” she smiled after the butler had set her plate (along with another jar of mustard) down in front of her. 

Alfred smiled back at her, giving a small nod. “Miss Cooper, would you like another cup of coffee?” he asked, turning to Aunt Harriet now.

“Oh well, maybe just a bit more,” she replied, raising her mug, “So Koriand’r, did you sleep well, dear?”

The alien girl nodded. “Yes, very well! It was just as comfortable as my bed on Tamaran.” Though, she decided to leave out the part about not using the pillows. Glancing around the table, she then added, “It would seem that Bruce and Dick are still enjoying their beds.”

Aunt Harriet giggled. “Oh, I doubt it. Honestly, it would be a miracle if those two slept in at all! They’re always so busy, running around doing who knows what. Oh, but you know how business is. Business and homework and meetings and, well, all those fishing trips they take, I suppose.”

“Oh,” was all Koriand’r said, trying to sound as naive as she began to eat her eggs and pancakes. Though really, part of her couldn’t help but wonder how Harriet couldn’t see what her host and her nephew were doing. Was this woman really fooled so much by some excuses and some masks? Apparently she was, as was the rest of this city, as unbelievable as it was. 

But, if they needed to be fooled in order for Batman and Robin to stay safe, then Koriand’r wasn’t about to lift that metaphorical curtain. Instead, she just continued to eat, silently hoping that at the very least the two heroes would return home soon.

Breakfast ended quickly enough, and while Koriand’r was sure what to do next, Harriet already had an idea. “Well, while the boys are out, why don’t Alfred and I show you around?” she suggested, “We wouldn’t want you getting lost in this big old manor, after all!”

“And you may also find rooms or things here that may entertain you while Master Bruce and Master Dick are away on, ahem, ‘business’,” Alfred added, taking their empty plates away.

The girl couldn’t help but frown a bit at that. The more stern part of her mind reminded her that she didn’t really have time for ‘entertainment’... Though, admittedly, she was a bit curious about their home, and it wasn’t as if she could do much else without her ship there for her to work on. So Koriand’r nodded. “Alright,” she said, standing up from her seat, “Please, lead the way.”

The first couple rooms ended up being ones she had already seen. The living room where the television and grand piano were placed, a couple of the parlors, and of course plenty of hallways. Though, the further they went along, the more interesting the tour became.

“Out here is my own little project,” Aunt Harriet explained as she opened the door to the back of the manor, where her proud garden lived and thrived. “You can take a closer look if you’d like, dear.”

Slowly, Koriand’r stepped out onto the grass. She crouched down, looking closely at the various plants. There were many different colors, from white and yellow to purple and pink all lined up and short rows. Some were just beginning to sprout up while others looked like they had been blooming and thriving for weeks.  They were small, much smaller than the flowers on Tamaran, but- “They are beautiful…” Koriand’r finally said, smiling softly at the flowers.

Harriet clasped her hands together happily. “Oh, thank you, dear. I do try my best to take care of my little garden. Though, Alfred deserves a bit of credit too. If it wasn’t for that special fertilizer he found, I’m not sure if-”

The older woman stopped when she heard Koriand’r gasp slightly. Before she could even as what was wrong, she saw the girl reach down and grab something. Harriet bit her lip. She really didn’t like people picking from her garden… But then again, Koriand’r wasn’t from here, so she couldn’t be too cross with her, could she?

However, when Koriand’r stood back up and turned around, it became very evident that what in her hands was  _ not _ a flower, and Harriet couldn’t help but let out a small shriek. 

“Look at this creature I found living in your garden!” Koriand’r announced as she lifted up the small brown and warty toad, even taking a couple steps towards Harriet so she could see it properly - which in turn made Harriet back away, not wanting to give it a chance to pounce on her.

“U-Um, yes that’s, i-it’s very, uh, c-cute,” Harriet told her, smiling weakly, “Oh, but y-you should really put it down now!”

“Ah, yes, of course.” Still smiling, Koriand’r crouched back down, allowing the toad to hop out of her hands. “Go on now, little one. Thank you for the visit! Such an adorable creature...”

“Perhaps we should stop by one of the restrooms before going to the next room,” Alfred suggested, placing a gentle hand on the older woman’s shoulder, “So Miss Koriand’r can wash her hands, and we can all take a bit of a rest.”

Aunt Harriet nodded, still looking a bit green. “Yes, that would be a very good idea…”

After their quick rest stop, the three continued to the other interesting rooms of Wayne Manor. The ballroom where many Wayne parties and charity galas were held, the library, a couple of the game rooms, and of course-

“Oh, we can’t go in there, dear.” Koriand’r stopped, pulling her hand away from the doors of the study.

“Miss Cooper is right,” Alfred added, “I’m afraid that access into Master Bruce’s private study is only available upon invitation.”

“Ah, yes. Right…” And once again, Koriand’r found her mood diving down while her concerns began to rise. “Um, and when will Bruce and Dick be available again? Sometime soon please?”

The old butler gave her a soft smile. “My apologies, ma’am, but it’s hard to say. The life of a millionaire often has many unexpected surprises and interruptions, but I should hope that both he and Master Dick would be home-”

Just then, the knob on the door began to turn, the door itself opening just wide enough for a head to poke up. “Please excuse my eavesdropping, everyone,” Bruce began to say, “But did I hear someone say they needed me?”

Koriand’r grinned while Alfred held back a chuckle. “Apparently, they are home now,” he finished.

“It looks like we’ll have to finish this tour some other time,” Harriet told them, “But that’s fine. After all, I’m sure you want to see your own home even more than ours, right dear?”

Koriand’r took a moment to answer. “Yes, very much so,” she said finally, though while her smile was still there, it didn’t quite meet her eyes now

“Ohh…” Taking her hand, Aunt Harriet gently patted it. “It’ll be alright, Kori. Bruce has plenty of scientists and connections that he can call to help you. Why, I’m sure you’ll be back up in the skies in no time!”

“...Yes, I am sure, as well,” Koriand’r nodded, smiling a bit bigger now.

Not wanting her to wait any longer, Harriet and Alfred quickly excused themselves while Bruce opened the door a bit more, allowing his newest house guest to step inside. “Hey, Kori!” Dick greeted, grinning widely as soon as she entered the room, “We’ve got your ship, just like we said we would!”

Immediately, Koriand’r smiled back at him. “That is wonderful news!”

“And for even more good news, I believe we should have most of what we need to repair it,” Bruce added, “We just need you to help with the installation and to make sure we’re doing everything right.”

“Of course. So, we are free to start working now, yes?” Koriand’r asked, her eyes hopeful.

“Yep! After all, we wouldn’t want to keep you waiting any longer!” Dick told her as he and Bruce stepped towards the already-open secret entrance, “So, to the Batcave we go!” He grabbed his designated bat-pole while Dick grabbed his. 

Since there were only two bat-poles Koriand’r simply began to hover and waited for the Dynamic Duo to drop, more than happy to simply follow the two down into the cave using her flight. Though, as the trio descended down the entrance, Koriand’r spoke up once more. “Oh! Dick, did you know that your aunt has wildlife living in her garden? It was such an adorable sight! Though, I’m not sure if Miss Aunt Harriet enjoyed its visit as much...” Dick just smirked at that, chuckling a bit.

Since they would only be working on the ship, Bruce didn’t activate the automatic costume change, and a few moments later they had landed in the Batcave. From the bat-poles, Koriand’r could see her ship now sitting on the floor of the impressive cave near a desk that was already littered with small tools and material. 

She stepped towards it, running her fingers along the burnt metal. “We weren’t trying to snoop or anything,” she heard Dick start to say, “But we did notice that the inside of it looks pretty alright. Just a couple of cracked screens, is all.”

Wanting to see for herself, Koriand’r stuck her head through the small opening she had made for herself when she had crashed. “We should still check the wiring,” she told them as she examined the control panel, “Just to be safe. A disconnected wire or a dysfunctioning system could lead to me crashing once more.”

“And we wouldn’t want that,” Bruce said, grunting slightly as he began bringing over sheets of metal. “We picked these up too. I thought that we could use it as a base until we can find stronger mater-”

“No,” Koriand’r said suddenly, “These will do just fine, thank you.” She then took two of the metal sheets (easily holding them with just two hands) and began to work them, melting them together with the green heat once again appearing her hands. Once the sheets were properly fused, she started molding them. While one hand continued the heating, another ripped off the burnt pieces of metal and set them aside, revealing a small section of the ship’s frame.

Both Bruce and Dick’s mouths were agape in awe as they continued to watch the alien work, until finally she placed the new metal onto the ship. “I would like to attach it bolts, just to make sure that it does not fly off when entering your planet’s atmosphere,” she told them, giving the two shocked heroes a casual smile, “Is that alright?”

“...Holy Metalwork!” was all Dick could say in response.

Thankfully, Koriand’r wasn’t offended. If anything, she was a bit amused. “It is really not that impressive but, thank you. Er, I assume your comment was a positive one, yes?”

“Well yeah!” Dick nodded, “Gosh, Kori! I know that probably everyone on your planet can do that but, still, that was amazing! You,  _ you’re _ amazing!” Koriand’r smile deepened as she glanced away, brushing her fiery hair back.

It really was a cute sight… But there was still work to be done. “Um, ahem?” Bruce said, clearing his throat. The two teenagers looked up at him. “Before we continue work on the ship itself, perhaps we should check on the engine?”

“Oh! Yes.” In a flash, Koriand’r was at the back of the shift, taking off the dented and burnt panels around the engine like they were candy wrappers on a chocolate bar. She frowned at all the damage. While the ship’s body and wiring would be easy enough to repair, it was now apparent that the engine was a completely different story.

“Gee… Guess that crash landing messed up the ship a bit more than we thought,” Dick mumbled as he and Bruce crouched down next to her.

Koriand’r placed her hand on an area of the engine block were it looked like something that was once attached to it had been blasted clean off. “I am sure most of this damage, at least on this part of the ship, occurred  _ before _ I landed.”

Dick’s eyes widened, and before he could stop himself, he asked, “Well, what were you doing - or running from - that could do all THIS damage?” Koriand’r didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at him, and out of the corner of his eye, Dick could see Bruce giving him a very stern look. The boy winced, silently scolding himself. “Right… Sorry, didn’t mean to get so nosy again.”

Again, Koriand’r said nothing as she continued to assess the damage. However, after a few moments, she did speak once more. “I will say that at the time, I was more concern with my escape than with the state it would put my ship in, and that is all I will say.”

Dick nodded, not wanting to push her anymore than he had. Wanting to give her a sense of privacy, Bruce told her, “You don’t need to tell us anything else if you don’t want to. All you need to tell us is how we can help fix all this.”

“Right…” the alien girl said quietly, still unwilling to look up from the damage she was staring at.

So, wanting to push through the slight mood-shift, the three continued to work. Or at least they would have, if not for the small  _ *ding!* _ , followed by a familiar proper voice with a British accent. “Excuse me?” Alfred began to say, “I hate to interrupt but-”

“Is it the Batphone?” Bruce asked, already on his feet. Dick was looking at Alfred as well, though for once he wasn’t looking too excited about the possibility of another Batman and Robin adventure.

Thankfully, that wasn’t the case. “Actually, it’s your own personal line, sir,” Alfred continued, “It would seem there’s been a bit of a hubbub at Wall Street, and your investors want to catch you up on some of your latest stock investments. And who knows, they may have a couple new ones for you to possibly support.”

“Oh. Well, in that case-” The millionaire looked back down at his ward and their guest. “Why don’t you two continue work here while I take this call, and I’ll just catch up to you two later?”

Dick looked at Bruce, and then over at Koriand’r. But to his surprise, the girl’s smile had managed to return. “...I do not think I would mind that change in our plans.” Dick smiled back at her, just barely holding back a grin. 

“Very well,” Bruce nodded, wishing the two of them luck before following Alfred over to the service elevator, figuring that it wouldn’t hurt to take it instead since it wasn’t as if he needed another outfit change. 

“...I gotta warn you, I may not be a huge amount of help like Bruce would be. You know, when it comes to the really technical stuff,” Dick began to say, looking almost sheepish, “I mean, heck, I just started taking a shop class last semester and I still-!”

“Well, I am sure there are still many other ways you can help me significantly,” Koriand’r offered, “And even if there is not, you could still make for… for…” She frowned, furrowing her brow a bit. “For a… pleasant business?”

Dick stared back at her, looking just as confused until it hit him. “Oh! You mean, ‘pleasant company’?” The girl nodded at him, looking pretty sure of that, which caused Dick to in turn relax a bit.

Pleasant company, huh? Just hanging out, helping her out when he could, knowing that she didn’t consider him a bother or a nuisance? “Well gosh… Heh, nothing wrong with being pleasant company.”

()()()()()()()()()()()

One thing that Koriand’r was quickly beginning to notice about stately Wayne Manor was just how quiet it was. Oh sure, there were occasional noises - the chime of an old grandfather clock, an alarm going off and reminding Alfred or Aunt Harriet of whatever dish they were cooking, and of course the sudden ring of a telephone (or a bat-phone). 

But for the most part, thanks to its size and just how independent and busy its few residents were, the manor was almost completely silent. Very pretty and impressively built, certainly, but that didn’t really stop it from feeling as lonely as an abandoned moon…

“Perhaps this is why they do not mind being away from home so often,” Koriand’r mumbled as she continued to casually stroll through the long halls. She and Dick had gotten quite a bit done the day before. They had figured out what additional materials they would need to fix the engine and had even started drawing out some schematics before Bruce even returned from his call. 

As for today, the plan had been to gather up what they would need before continuing work, but another call (from the actual Batphone this time) interrupted them once again. Something about a letter or riddle a police officer had received? She wasn’t sure. All she really knew was that the Dynamic Duo would most likely be home late. Not that she could really blame them, she knew personally just how important certain duties were. But even so…

The girl gave another sigh as she turned a corner - and found herself staring at a pair of doors that lead to a certain study that was quickly becoming familiar to her. Slowly, her feet left the floor. Koriand’r then glanced around before floating silently towards the doors…

“Miss Koriand’r?”

Koriand’r froze. Truly, this Alfred was one of the most stealthy and attentive k’norfkas she had ever met. “If I may ask, are you looking for something?” the old butler continued as he walked over to her.

“...It is a bit embarrassing to ask, but I think I may have forgotten where the room of bathing was located,” Koriand’r replied after a moment, tilting her head slightly, “If you could escort me there, please?”

“Of course, miss,” Alfred nodded, “Follow me please. It’s just down this hall.” Koriand’r bit her lip slightly, now truly embarrassed, but said nothing. 

Once they reached the bathroom, Alfred stepped aside and opened the door for her. “Here we are, miss.” Koriand’r nodded, mumbling a thank you before flying inside. But before she could close the door- “Just so you know, Miss Koriand’r,” he told her, “While I’m sure Master Bruce and Master Dick would prefer to work with you, I am also sure that if you ask them permission to do so, they will allow you access into the Batcave on your own time so that you may continue work while they are not at home.”

“...Thank you, Alfred,” Koriand’r repeated, not looking the older gentleman in the eyes. That in itself was a bit concerning, but before Alfred could say anything more, she shut the door. So, wanting to give her some privacy, Alfred walked away, hoping that the identities of Batman and Robin wasn’t the only secret Koriand’r was keeping…

Just as they had expected, Batman and Robin didn't return to the Batcave until it was nearly suppertime. As the duo stepped out of their car, Bruce still found himself looking at Riddler’s latest clue. Since the infamous question mark-covered criminal hadn't stolen anything or attempted to hurt anyone, it was obvious that he had only planted the riddle to make sure Batman had him on his mind. Well, that and to simply taunt the Caped Crusaders, another one of Riddler’s favorite past times. 

“Do you think we have anything to worry about Batman?” Robin asked, “I mean, the Riddler hasn't struck any other places since he left this riddle this morning!”

“With The Riddler’s twisted mind and dangerous ideas, he should always be a concern, old chum,” Batman wisely retorted, “However, in this case…” He narrowed his eyes at the paper as he began to read it again. “I'm afraid all we can do for now is wait for his next move.”

_ RIDDLE ME THIS, BATMAN: What is born on  _ **_earth_ ** _ and is more than we  _ **_need_ ** _ , yet holds knowledge that we  _ **_want_ ** _ about the  _ **_stars?_ ** _ You aren't the only one who's  _ **_searching_ ** _ for this answer, and if you're having any troubles, why don't you visit where  _ **_moneybags_ ** _ reside? I'll be waiting for you to catch up~!!! _

“Holy headache,” Robin scowled, crossing his arms. The Riddler was just so frustrating sometimes. 

Batman glanced up. “Easy, old chum. Remember what I've taught you: a clear and calm head-”

“-is a crime fighter’s greatest asset,” the boy wonder finished, nodding, “Gosh yes, Batman, you're right. I can't let myself get too worked up and risk missing something.”

“Right. So let us take a break for now and come back to this riddle with fresh eyes later on. Besides-” Batman smirked slightly, “I believe we have a young lady who's been patiently waiting for us all day.”

Robin immediately perked up at this, and before his guardian could say anything more, the young hero was over by the bat-poles. “Gosh, I hope Kori isn’t too annoyed about having to wait for us for so long.”

“I’m sure she understands. She knows that we’re going to spend every spare moment we have helping her, plus she has Alfred and Aunt Harriet for company, so it isn’t as if she’s-” Just then, Batman stopped, noticing something out of the corner of his eye. 

“...Batman?” Robin asked from the other side of the cave, “What is it?”

“Strange…” Batman looked over his work desk. He had a habit of keeping his tools not only organized, but also in a certain order. Knowing what he was looking for and knowing exactly where to get it without even having to look for it could save him precious seconds in the long run. So it was pretty noticeable when his tools were out of order, some of them even lying at an angle or on top of another tool. 

“Must’ve forgotten to clean up last night,” he mumbled to himself, taking a moment to straighten up a couple of the bat-screwdrivers. Batman then turned back to his ward. “It’s nothing, Robin. Come on, let’s head up now.”

“You don’t need to tell me twice!” Robin smiled. Once Batman was on his own bat-pole, the compressed steam lift was turned on, and the two shot back up and into the study (after a quick costume change, of course).  

With how late it was, they assumed everyone would be in the dining room. However, after a bit of searching, Bruce and Dick ended up finding everyone in the library. Aunt Harriet and Alfred were sitting on the couch, reading a romance novel and a historical biography on famous British soldiers respectively. 

As for Koriand’r, she had taken up one of the arm chairs, sitting very comfortably with her legs hung over one of the arms of the chair, and her head (along with a pillow) on the other. However, once she saw the duo enter the room, she sat up a bit, sitting the book she was reading on her stomach for now. “Good evening, Dick and Bruce!” she greeted happily.

“Heh, good evening to you too, Koriand’r!” Dick grinned. He didn’t completely know why, but he always seemed to feel a bit happier whenever he saw her. It was like being stuck doing a hard homework assignment but then getting ‘interrupted’ by the bat-phone and being allowed to go on an exciting adventure instead. Heck, maybe even better than that feeling!

“Sorry we’re so late getting in, everyone,” Bruce added, giving a bit of a sheepish shrug, “You know how those millionaire luncheons can run long.”

“Well, I just hope you too saved some room for supper,” Aunt Harriet told them as she placed a bookmark in her own book, “I’d hate to see you two miss out on the roast duck I’ve got cooking right now. Especially you, Dick. You always look so skinny!”

“Aw Aunt Harriet, you don’t have to worry about me! I just… get a lot of exercise! That’s all.” Turning back to Koriand’r, Dick saw that she had picked up her book once more. Maybe she was at the end of a chapter and wanted to finish it. “Say Kori, what book are you reading?”

Smiling, Koriand’r showed him the cover. In big bold letters it read ‘ _ A Wrinkle In Time _ ’. “It is very interesting!” she exclaimed, “So strange and a bit difficult to read at times, yet I cannot put it down!”

Dick chuckled. “Yeah, I liked that one too! It’s pretty different from the books we have to read in school, that’s for sure.”

Koriand’r nodded. “It is certainly my favorite out of the books I have read so far here.” She then gestured to the small pile of books she had sitting next to her on small lampside table by the chair. Dick gave a small “whoa”, clearly impressed.

“Though the stories are all interesting, the rules and people in them are sometimes confusing,” Koriand’r continued, taking another book out of the pile. Just by how she looked at the cover - which had a picture of a very proper and demure looking princess dressed head to toe in pearls and lace - Dick could tell that it was one of the books that didn’t thrill her nearly as much as the one she was currently reading. “There are many differences between the society here on earth and the society on Tamaran. Many differences indeed…”  

“Well, to be fair, society itself has changed a lot since the point when some of these books were written,” Dick argued, “And it’s our job as members of society to make sure we keep changing and bettering life for everyone! Right, Bruce?”

“Right you are, Dick,” Bruce nodded, smiling proudly at his ward. 

Koriand’r smiled as well. “Well then, I suppose there is something good in that.” Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how earth society would improve if they shared some of Tamaran’s qualities, and vice versa.

Before long, the group decided to continue their various conversations in the dining room while they waited for their meal to finish cooking. As they walked down the halls, Dick leaned over towards Koriand’r. “Sorry again about being away all day,’ he whispered to her, “I know how much you want to get home… It’s just-”

“It is alright!” she whispered back, not looking upset at all, “Really, I did not mind that you were gone. Besides, we can still work on my ship tonight, yes?” Dick nodded. “Then it is fine.”

Still, the Boy Wonder couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. He hated the idea of Koriand’r being cooped up in the manor all day - even if she did have some good books to keep her busy. “Well, maybe you could come with us next time!” He paused, lowering his voice even more just to guarantee that Aunt Harriet wouldn’t hear them. “I’m sure you’d be a big help to Batman and Robin!”

Koriand’r thought about it, her bright green eyes glancing up to the ceiling now. “Perhaps…” she said finally, absentmindedly running a hand through her fiery hair, “Though, maybe a trip out to the city when neither of us are busy would be a better idea... I, I am admittedly a bit curious about seeing what I have read, and I am not sure we would be able to see them while you and the Bat Man are chasing down the criminals of your city.”

Dick gave a slightly laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “That’s true. And, well, we may not have things like fancy balls or tesseracts in Gotham… But we’ve got plenty of other great things! There are great restaurants, museums, dance clubs, movie theaters, sports games, parks - lots of other fun stuff we could do!”

Koriand’r’s eyes seemed to widen with each word. It really did sound like such joy, but her  ship ! Her plans! She had to prepare, she had to return to her home… But, it was so tempting-! “Oh, I would love to do this ‘fun stuff’ with you!” she said finally, unable to help herself.

“Do what fun stuff?” The two teenagers looked up, seeing that Bruce and Harriet were now looking at them (and quickly realized that they had no longer been whispering). 

“Oh, well, Dick was just telling me about all of the fun Earth stuff,” Koriand’r explained, “And it all does sound like it would be very enjoyable and very much fun, but…” She deflated, looking down at the floor, “I really shouldn’t…”

Dick frowned, his guilt quickly returning. “Gosh, Kori, I… I’m sorry.” He didn’t mean to make her feel like she was missing out on things even more! “I guess I just… got carried away.”

Bruce gave them both a sympathetic look. If they were any other people - any other  _ teenagers _ \- perhaps they would have the time to go out and enjoy their young lives for a while, but in this case-

“Oh, but why can’t you enjoy these things, dear?” Aunt Harriet spoke up, putting her hands on her hips, “Now, I know you’d like to go home as soon as possible but, really what could one night out hurt? It’s obvious you want to go, both of you do!”

“That is true,” the girl mumbled. And, most likely, this would be her only chance to explore Earth and what it had to offer. A part of her really didn’t want to miss that opportunity...

“You know, it’s like they say,” Bruce began to add, his own smile growing a bit now, “Even the most important work can’t be focused on all the time. Besides... I’m sure we can ‘arrange’ for some work to still be done on your ship while you’re out, Koriand’r.” After a moment, both teenagers nodded, understanding what the millionaire meant by this. He would stay behind and work, following whatever instructions Koriand’r left behind while she and Dick enjoyed their night.

“We could even go this weekend!” Dick continued, knowing that Koriand’r probably wouldn’t want another break from working on her ship so soon after having one. “And we’d only have to be out for a few hours. That would be plenty of time to explore Gotham and enjoy some sights, I’m sure of it!”

“Well…” She still didn’t look completely sure but, by this point, even Koriand’r couldn’t help but feel excited about the idea. “Alright, if we can ‘arrange’ for someone to continue our- er,  _ my _ work - while we are away then, I think we can do it. I think… we shall have the night out!”

“Hot Diggity!” Dick cheered, making Koriand’r giggle a bit. Aunt Harriet clapped her hands, looking about as happy as her nephew.

“Oh Kori, we’ll have to go dress shopping Saturday morning!” Harriet insisted, reminding the girl of what they had discussed when she had first arrived, “And we can visit the beauty salon as well! If you’re going to have a night out with a boy, you might as well go the whole nine yards!”

Dick stopped, blinking. With a boy? What did that part matter? It wasn’t as if this was a- a… The boy blushed brightly. “Hey, Aunt Harriet! It’s not a-! W-We’re just going out to have some fun, not-! Gosh, she’s not-!”

“Are these salons like the relaxation pools on Tamaran?” Koriand’r asked as she stepped forward, now walking beside Harriet, “Because if so, then that could be a very enjoyable experience as well!”

With his words clearly falling on deaf ears as the two women began talking about salons and hair, Dick just lowered his head. “It’s not a date,” he mumbled, his face still burning.

Holding back a chuckle, Bruce patted his ward’s shoulder. “Whatever you say, old chum. Whatever you say.”

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyy, I included a bit of art with this one! ^v^ Not that great but, eh, still cute. Anyway, this chapter ended up being a pretty long one(probably my longest chapter yet) so enjoy!

“Hmm… Bishop to pawn.” Swiftly and confidently, Bruce took the black pawn, replacing it with his own white piece. To anyone watching, it might have looked like the millionaire had taken easy bait and was about to fall into a trap.

Dick however had been playing chess with Bruce ever since he had taught him how to play at the ripe old age of ten. He knew very well that whenever his guardian seemed like he was making a mistake, this ‘mistake’ was simply part of his strategy. Dick had learned very early on that in order to beat Bruce in this age old game, he would have to think several steps ahead just like Bruce did.

And Dick would have tried to do just that… if he actually cared about the game.

After a moment or two of staring at the board, the boy silently moved one of his knights towards the center of the board - right into the path of at least three different pieces. A very poor move indeed.

Bruce’s brow furrowed. “...You know, old chum, if you’re not in the mood for chess, we could try doing something else to pass the time?”

“Huh?” Dick blinked. He began to argue when he stopped and noticed the pieces on the board. “...Gosh, I guess that was a pretty dumb move, huh?” The kind of move he would’ve made when he was ten, trying any random piece and hoping a strategy would come together on the fly.

Bruce gave him a stern look, despite the smile still on his face. “Not a dumb move, Dick. Only a thoughtless one. Probably because your mind is on something else. Or rather, someone else.”

His ward’s eyes remained on the chessboard as he pouted slightly. “Gee, is it that obvious?” Dick mumbled.

Between homework, helping Koriand’r fix her ship, and of course making sure Gotham City was safe, the rest of the week seemed to have passed by in the blink of an eye. The planned outing between him and Kori was now only a few hours away, and while Dick was certainly excited for their little night out, another part (one that confused him greatly) wondered if the idea itself was such a good idea...

“There’s nothing to worry about,” Bruce gently told him, “I know you’ll show her a good time.”

“Of course I will! But…” Dick sighed, and slouched in his chair. “Gosh, Bruce… What if I do something wrong? I mean, what if I accidentally offend her? Or the places I take her are fun for me but completely awful for her? Or, or-!”

Feeling himself getting worked up, Dick glanced away again, his right hand now squeezing his fist. “Or… Or what if it just goes so wrong that she leaves without a second glance?” he mumbled.

Bruce pitied the boy, he really did. First crushes were never easy.... “You really like this girl, don’t you, Dick?”

Dick didn’t answer. Then again, he really didn’t need to. “Holy Heartache… I, I know it’s not a good idea. After all, she’s got a home that she has to get back to no matter what, and I don’t want to keep her away from her home either! And hey, I like just hanging out with her and helping her out, and I want to be able to show her a fun time and make her smile too! But I, well…”

He finally looked back up at Bruce, giving his guardian a sorta lopsided smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I also kinda want her to like me as much as I like her, you know?” Dick finished.

“I do,” Bruce nodded. Leaning forward, he stretched his arm out across the table and put a firm hand on Dick’s shoulder. “You’re a fine young man, Dick. You’ve got a good heart, anyone can see that. We can’t completely control how people see us or feel about us, no matter what we do. But what I do know is that if you just be yourself and follow that heart of yours, you’ll both have a good time tonight.”

Without even realizing it, Dick found himself smiling back at the man. “Gosh Bruce… Do you really think so?” Because after all, all he really wanted right now was to show Koriand’r a fun time - to see her enjoying herself, and to share that experience with her before it was too late. That would be more than enough, he was sure of it.

“Yes Dick, I certainly do,” Bruce told him confidently as he nodded once more. He felt the boy relax, his smile looking a bit more genuine now.

“Thanks Bruce… Come on, let’s finish the game.” Dick looked back at the board. “Well, maybe we should just start a new game.” Bruce just chuckled, happy to oblige.

Early afternoon soon turned to dusk as the Wayne household remained peaceful. For once, not even the Batphone interrupted things. The only disturbance that occured was Koriand’r and Harriet returning from their own trip, but Harriet refused to let her nephew see what Koriand’r had gotten (which only made Dick lament that, once again, she was making too big of a deal out of all this. Not that it mattered to someone like Aunt Harriet).

It was around six o’clock that Dick came downstairs and into the foyer. He hadn’t decided to dress up much, only wearing one of his many sweaters (red, to be precise) and some grey slacks. Though, he still made sure his hair was neat and well combed.

He only had to wait a couple minutes for Koriand’r to catch up with him. “Are we ready to go?” he heard her call.

“Yep,” Dick answered, turning around, “We can leave as soon as you’re- Whoa…” His eyes widened as he watched the tall alien walk down the flight of stairs.

The new outfit Koriand’r had gotten was a simple one, but still very pretty. She wore a light purple top with a dark purple skirt that was adorned with white polka dots. Replacing the long purple boots she usually wore, she now had on long white stockings and black mary janes that had been shined thoroughly.

One thing she hadn’t taken off though were her silver bracelets with the green gems in them, but now she also had on a choker with a large peridot stone hanging from it to match. A bit of light pink lipstick was all her face really needed, and her hair had been brushed out and straighten (though there were still a few curls here and there). By some miracle the salon workers had managed to tuck it all up into a very cute updo.

Smiling, Dick rubbed the back of his neck. “Holy makeover,” he mumbled.

Koriand’r smiled back at him. “Your aunt thought that you would have a reaction like that.”

“Heh, well, of course. You, you look great!” Dick stopped, grimacing as he stammered out, “Er, n-not that you didn’t already look great before but, uh-”

“And you look well dressed as well. So-” Koriand’r held out her arm. “Shall we go?”

As he tried to push down his nerves as much as possible, Dick silently nodded and looped his arm around hers, leading her to the front door.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Bruce watched them from the foyer, looking fairly amused at the sight and only moving from his spot once the two of them were out the door. “Good luck, old chum,” he said quietly.

With Aunt Harriet at her book club, Bruce had the entire manor to himself. Fortunately, that also meant that he could work away in his ‘study’ without needing to make up excuses. Perhaps it wasn’t the best way to spend his downtime, but there were times that Bruce just couldn’t help being a bit of a workaholic. “Besides, there’s still that riddle,” he told himself as he traveled down the hall. He and Dick still hadn’t solved it, and the fact that the Riddler still hadn’t struck since made him more anxious than relieved. There had to be a reason why the other shoe hadn’t dropped yet…

Making sure to shut the door behind him, Bruce walked over his desk and lifted up the head of the bust of Shakespeare, turning the hidden switch under it. A moment passed… and nothing happened. The man frowned. “Strange…” He turned the switch again, and after waiting a bit, he heard the bookcase behind him start to move.

However, it didn’t slide open like usual. Rather, it lurched, moving a few inches at a time before stopping and starting again. Bruce hummed, and strolled over to the secret entrance, examining it. Perhaps the gears and such that worked it needed a bit of greasing… But they always worked fine before, so why were they sticking now.

Bruce looked all around the doorway of the bat-poles, but nothing seemed off. No rust, nothing in the way, there wasn’t even any dust! However, once he reached the actual bookcase itself, it was a much different story.

The side of the bookshelf that faced the revealed bat-poles now looked just a bit… warped. Bent ever so slightly, with even the wood that made up the back of the case looking splintered and cracked. Almost as if… “Someone had pushed it open by hand instead of using the switch,” he told himself, “And I believe I know just who would - and could - do this…”

The who wasn’t a question at all, it was only the _why_ that he needed to figure out. Had they ever showed Koriand’r how to open the manor-entrance to the Batcave? He didn’t think so… But they wouldn’t need to. They always worked in the Batcave together, and even if he and Dick weren’t at home, Koriand’r could’ve asked Alfred to open the entrance for her if she couldn’t wait. Unless…

Bruce narrowed his eyes. “Unless she didn’t want anyone to know when she was working on her ship alone…” Now feeling an uneasy in his stomach, Bruce grabbed onto his designated bat-pole and slid down into the cave, with the bookcase stuttering shut behind him…

()()()()()()()()()()()

Since Dick only had a learner’s permit and Koriand’r wasn’t exactly a licensed driver, Alfred had to be their chauffeur for the night. Not that the old butler really minded. Driving at night was no problem, and he did have a book or two to keep him busy.

“Thanks again, Alfred!” Dick told him as he and Koriand’r stepped out of the car, “We’ll meet you back here in about two hours, alright?”

“Very good, Sir,” Alfred told them, giving the pair a warm smile, “And I do hope you both enjoy yourselves this evening.”

“I’m sure we will,” Koriand’r replied. She had seemed calm enough at the manor, but now that she was actually in downtown Gotham once again, she couldn’t help but feel a bit giddy. “What shall we do first?” she asked, turning to Dick.

“Well, it’s nearly suppertime so, how about we grab a bite?” Dick suggested, “There should be a diner with some great burgers just up ahead!”

“Sounds wonderful,” Koriand’r agreed, and the two of them began walking once again arm-in-arm. “So tell me, which one of your Earth animals is a ‘burger’? And do these diners also serve the yellow mustard for topping dishes?”

Dick chuckled. “Don’t worry, Kori, I wouldn’t take you anywhere for food that didn’t have mustard!” He still didn’t quite get why she loved it so much but, hey, everyone had their own tastes.

Being that it was a Saturday night, Gary’s Gotham Diner was pretty busy, filled with teens and young adults who were looking for a carefree atmosphere and great food! However, once the staff saw that the ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne was wanting a seat for him and his date, a table was quickly cleaned off for them and their orders were taken.

“Are all diners on Earth this lively?” Koriand’r asked as she glanced around, watching the various people around them as they laughed and talked.

Dick took this as a good sign, since she didn’t seem nearly as nervous as the first time she saw Earthlings. “I can’t speak for all diners but, yeah, most of them probably are. They’re just nice places to hang out with friends and get some good food. But they’re all sort of different. For example, this one’s got a jukebox-”

He pointed over to the wall, where a large and colorful machine sat playing records. Right now it seemed to be playing an older song, something more relaxed that a person could talk over. “Those are always fun, especially when they’ve got your favorite songs. And over on Dunbar Street, there’s a drive-in diner. That’s when you just park your car and eat in it instead of at a table.”

Koriand’r raised an eyebrow at this. “You eat in your car? But why would you want to do that? How is it ‘fun’?”

“It’s just something different, that’s all,” Dick shrugged, “And so you don’t have to worry about not getting a table. Plus you get to listen to your own radio, so it just feels a bit more private than sitting in an actual restaurant. We’ve got drive-in movies too, so you get to enjoy a film and enjoy being under the stars at the same time!”

“Now THAT I can understand as fun,” Koriand’r smiled, “Especially if it’s just as enjoyable as listening to a tale being told while spending the night out in nature.”

“Oh, you mean camping?” His date thought for a moment, then nodded, thinking that was the right translation.

“Yeah, I guess it would sorta be like that, but just in a car,” Dick continued, “Though, I wouldn’t really know. I never really went camping with my parents since we were always traveling with the circus anyway, and Bruce, well, we’re lucky when we can get just an afternoon off to fish or watch a baseball game.” After a moment, he decided to ask (though did so slowly, hoping not to come off as nosy again), “Did you go camping a lot on Tamaran?”

Thankfully, Koriand’r didn’t look offended at all. Her smile softened as her bright green eyes glanced out the window and towards the sky. “I did. Galfore - my k’norfka, as I have mentioned -  would take me out into the wilderness of Tamaran quite often. It was good defense training against wild animals and dangerous plants, and besides it is good to know about the nature of one’s planet, both how to use it and how to live with it.”

Dick smiled, definitely agreeing with that. However, before he could say anymore, Koriand’r suddenly started giggling. “Huh? What’s so funny?” he asked.

“Oh, I am just remembering,” Koriand’r started to say, partially covering her mouth with her hand, “When I was very small and Galfore would take me ‘camping’, he would always come back from collecting firewood by sneaking up on me and pretending to be giant double-toothed flarnop!” She giggled again, and while Dick didn’t exactly know what a flarfnop was, he found himself laughing along with her. She had the prettiest laugh…

“Of course, I always knew it was him,” she continued, “and we would play chase and pretend to hunt each other down for what felt like ages before returning to our campfire to cook to food we had actually hunted, followed by telling tales before falling asleep.” Koriand’r then sighed, the last of her laughter leaving her as she leaned back into the plush diner booth, relaxing now. “Those moments, exciting and quick as they were, now seem… bigger now, in a way.”

Feeling his heart ache just a little, Dick nodded as his own mind began to think back. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Sometimes the smallest moments end up meaning the most in the long run...” His parents teaching him how to do cartwheels and flips, running errands with his mother and listening to games and shows on the radio with his father, and even all the small moments he had spent with Bruce teaching him something or doing something together or even fighting alongside him. He didn’t want to forget _any_ of those moments.

“...Say, Dick?” Koriand’r spoke up, bringing her date back to the present, “You mentioned that you and Bruce watch baseball games sometimes, yes? I know they are probably recreational - hence the ‘games’ part - but I am curious: Does this ‘baseball’ consist of two groups warring and attempting to capture bases while using only balls from cannons as weapons?”

Dick snickered a bit. Well, a game like that would certainly make some of the slower innings more exciting. “No, it’s not like that. They’re fighting more over points than any sort of territory, though the bases are still pretty important. See, there are two teams…”

As it turned out, Koriand’r was just as interested in sports as she was in nature and culture. From what Dick could tell, Tamaran seemed like a pretty competitive place. “We even have tournaments for our strongest warriors to have the chance to earn honors or accolades,” she had mentioned, “Though we almost always fight to better our skills, not out of hostility.” But even if it wasn’t a friendly battle in a traditional sense, Koriand’r still seemed to like the idea of the simple yet exciting game, making Dick wish they had the time to maybe watch a game together.

As the waitress brought their burgers (one medium-rare burger for Dick and three rare, mustard-covered burgers for Kori), the conversation quickly shifted from sports to food - “I insist, if your people ever make it past your solar system, you must try zorkaberries! No creature in the galaxy can resist them!” “ Heh, well, if they're as good as some of the berries we have, then I'm up for giving them a try!” - to some of the events and holidays that their planets had, to just interesting and proud details about their planets in general.

“We've still got quite a ways to go on our space travel. We haven't even reached our moon yet,” Dick began to say, “But I hope that once we are able to travel through space, we’re able to reach your home. Tamaran sounds like a really amazing place.”

Koriand'r smiled warmly at that. “It means so much to me that you think that way, Dick. Admittedly, there are people out there who do not view Tamaran as a paradise like we do, and instead only see how they can ‘improve’ it.”

“From how you make it sound, I don't think it needs any improvement at all! But, well…”

Kori tilted her head slightly at him. “But well what?”

“But… As much as I've loved hearing about your home, I’d like to learn about you too,” Dick continued, offering her a sheepish smile, “Because, well… Gosh Kori, you seem just as amazing as Tamaran. And I know you're sort of a private person but, can't you just tell me a little about what your life is like? Your favorite things to do, the things you like?”

While she didn't look nearly as upset or annoyed as the previous times he had tried to get her to talk about herself, Koriand’r still had to hold back a sigh. She supposed she couldn't blame him for being curious, but…

“I do not exactly consider myself as ‘amazing as Tamaran’,” she slowly replied, “However, I suppose there is nothing wrong with sharing some things about myself. For example…” Koriand'r took a couple moments to think. “I… enjoy taking trips to the relaxation pools, as well as exploring the forests and gardens. I very much like plants and animals, and I like going on flights around my home, and-”

Before she could finish her thought, a sudden increase in both volume and tempo from the jukebox made both her and Dick flinch. “Alright!” They heard the teen guy in a leather jacket over by the machine cheer, “Now that's somethin’ I can move to! Right, everybody?” Most of the other patrons happily agreed, with some of them even getting up to dance a bit.

“...and I have never heard music like that before,” Koriand’r finished, not taking her eyes off the machine, staring at it like it was an animal that had just woken up with a loud roar, demanding attention. Her expression may have still held a hint of concern but mostly, it was full of wonder and amazement that one could only feel when seeing (or hearing, in this case) something totally new.

And it was then that Dick got an idea. Grinning, the Boy Wonder suddenly stood up. He offered Koriand’r his hand, which she only looked at for a moment before taking. “And just what are we doing now, Dick Grayson?” she asked, giving him a playful smirk.

“Well, do they have dancing on Tamaran?” Dick asked as he led her over to the jukebox, where several other teens were already dancing along to the fast, jazzy tune. (He had to hold back a laugh when he saw a couple people attempting to do the Batusi.)

Quickly understanding what her date was planning now, Koriand’r answered, “We have several forms and classes of professional dance, yes. Certainly nothing like this though.” They definitely didn’t have music like this either. The saxophone and guitar filled melody with the quick beat was a far-cry from the brass filled orchestras of Tamaran.

Grin widening, Dick began swaying back and forth to the music. “Then I think it’s about time you learn some free-style dancing, Kori,” he told her, “You know, learn how to get groovy!”

Koriand’r let out a loud laugh at that. “Get groovy?” she repeated, still giggling as she began to mimic the movements of Dick and the other teens, still holding onto his hand. Soon enough, she found herself lost in the music, dancing along with it almost instinctively. Every note and beat she heard was met with a hand wave or a sway or even a little kick. There were even moments when she felt herself rise from the floor an inch or two, too happy and carefree to stay grounded.

“Yeah! That’s it!” Dick cheered, squeezing her hand as his own movements became more bold, throwing in some shimmying and some hip movement.

Deciding to be a bit bold, Koriand’r suddenly pulled him forward, spinning him slightly before pulling him into a dip. Though, being a natural acrobat, Dick wasn’t knocked off-guard by this at all, being able to follow her lead and even adding in a high-kick as he fell into the dip.

“It seems you are not so bad yourself!” Koriand’r shouted over the music as she brought the boy back onto his feet. Now it was his turn. Grabbing both her hands now, Dick swayed her back and forth for a bit, their eyes locked on one another as he started to spin her, giving her another chance to rise from the floor.

As the diner and its patrons began to fade away, leaving only the bright colors and lights, the music and each other, their moves became even more flashy and carefree. Jumps, twirls, grabs, swings - Dick even felt _himself_ leave the floor at some point as Kori lifted him up for a flip over her head.

And as the saxophone and guitar riffs echoed out for one final note, the two fell into each other’s arms once more as Dick dipped her, with Kori’s wild hair rising and slowly falling like fiery ashes, her updo pretty much destroyed. But she didn’t care, its sacrifice had been a worthy one.

As they stared at each other, Dick gave a breathless laugh. “So…” he said as he helped her to her feet, “How, how was that?”

Tucking some of her undone hair back, Koriand’r grinned. “I think… I think I can definitely say that I like dancing now!” The two shared a laugh, hardly noticing the people that stared at them or even the ones that cheered for their fantastic dance moves. It was only when the jukebox came back in, now playing a slower song, that they decided to return to their table. After all, they would have to pay for their meals before continuing on with their night out.

So, with eyes still subtly on each other and their hands close enough to brush past each other, they walked back to the other side of the diner with John Lennon’s voice singing out behind them.

()()()()()()()()()

The air was cool as they walked down the long streets of the city, hoping to make it to Gotham Central Park before it got too late. Dick could remember when the idea of just strolling around a park not really doing anything - or even taking a horse drawn carriage ride like Bruce had ended up going on with the disguised Catwoman - seemed incredibly dull, even with a sweet girl by his side. But now… Well, maybe now it didn’t seem too bad or even too boring.

Besides, the fact that they were now able to have a conversation without feeling too awkward or not knowing what they could and couldn’t talk about made it much easier to have a good time.

“-and I had no idea how big they would get! Before I knew it, the baby blork worms I had collected had not only crawled all over my room, but had even eaten my blankets and curtains!” Koriand’r exclaimed, throwing her arms up. She snickered after a moment. “Thankfully I could get those replace, but my room still smelt like fowl blork worm breath for an entire lunar cycle! To think they once seemed so harmless!”

Dick laughed. “Oh wow, that must’ve been pretty bad! Though, probably not as bad as the time I found a rat on the way to school and tried to sneak it home, wanting to try and keep it as a pet. Of course Bruce knew something was going on right away, no matter how much I tried to hide it. By the time I came clean, the rat had found the kitchen and had gotten into pretty much every box of food we had!” He chuckled, shaking his head at the memory. “Holy rodents, now THAT had been a disaster!”

The story made both of them continue to giggle and smile, though even as she looked amused at their shared experiences, Koriand’r also couldn’t help but look a bit curious. “…I never realized so many things on this planet were considered holy.”

Dick blinked. “Huh?” Where did she get that idea?

“Should we be praying as well? I do not wish to be disrespectful-”

And suddenly, it hit him. “O-OH! Oh, no no! It’s uh, i-it’s just an expression that I say. I um… I do it instead of any actual cursing since, you know…” Dick lowered his voice, not wanting any bystanders to overhear. “Swearing isn’t very becoming of a hero, plus it may set a bad example for any younger citizens who are watching nearby. But, I guess I’ve sorta gotten into the habit of saying it now.”

“Oh, I see…” Koriand’r nodded, starting to understand now.

“Yeah. But, gosh, I guess it is pretty silly when you think about it…” He glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck. But before he could say anything more, he felt Koriand’r grab his hand.

“It was only something I wanted clarified, Dick,” Koriand’r told him with a gentle smile, “But now that I know, I think it’s…” She took a moment to think, wanting to use the right word. “...Endearing! And light of heart, and very cute! Not something to be embarrassed of!”

Despite her words, Dick couldn’t help but blush now. “Gee, thanks Kori… Uh, hey, I-I think we may be near the park,” he said, changing the subject, “And the streetlights over there should still be on, so we’ll be able to see some of the flower beds and trees even though it’s dark.”

“Wonderful!” They turned another corner and continued on towards the park, now on a street that was a bit emptier than the others, given that there weren’t many open businesses on it. Though, after a few moments, Dick’s well-trained ears did begin to pick up on at least one set of footsteps. Casually glancing back, he saw a figure just a few feet behind them, wearing a dark green overcoat as well as a light purple fedora that hid his face. His hands were in his pockets, and he kept a steady pace with the pair of teens.

“...” Gently taking Kori’s hand, Dick began to walk a bit faster. Of course, Koriand’r noticed this. “Is something wrong?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet,” he replied in a hushed voice. He just faced forward and continued walking. Once they reached the park, Dick continued taking the lead, picking one path and briskly heading down it, only slowing after a few minutes, once he no longer saw the figure behind them. “Huh… Guess it was nothing. Oh, sorry about that Kori.”

“It is fine!” Koriand’r smiled, “Even if we were not in danger, there was still some good in getting here faster!” She was already looking around at all the huge oak trees and wide open fields of grass. Nearby, there was a little pond with a couple ducks still swimming in it, not quite ready to sleep for the evening. “So cute,” she cooed, taking a couple steps towards the water. Of course once she did, the ducks either swam away or flew to another part of the pond. “Ah, so they are skittish creatures.”

“Yeah,” Dick nodded, “It’s too bad we didn’t have some seeds to feed them, then they’d maybe come a little closer. But hey, there’s still the flowers! And maybe we can spot an owl too, they’re actually pretty common around-” As if on cue, the branches on the trees behind them began to shuffle and shake a bit. “...Here.”

“Is it the owl?” Koriand’r asked, moving back over to the Boy Wonder’s side.

“I’m not sure what it is,” Dick replied, narrowing his eyes a bit as he tried to see what was hiding within the dark leaves, “But maybe… Maybe it’s more of a who than a what.”

“Who…” A voice from up in the trees suddenly retorted, it’s tone full of mockery, “Who… Who you say? Such a simple question. Far too simple for me! So, I now have one for you! What is the only kind of bird that can’t fly, run OR swim?”

Even if the question itself was a pretty easy one, Dick still scowled as he answered it. “A sitting duck.”

Before any of them could say anymore, the dark figure from before hopped down. “Exactly,” he grinned before giving a manic giggle.

“Riddler!” The villain continued to snicker, even taking off his hat and giving a quick bow, as if to say ‘at your service!’.

Now Dick knew he had to hold himself back. He wasn’t Robin at the moment, he was Dick Grayson, and he couldn’t risk letting the Riddler know they were one and the same! Still, he couldn’t help but at least question the man. “Just what do you want with us?”

“With you, nothing. Just as long as you stay out my way, of course. I can go after your guardian’s millions any old day,” Riddler replied, shooting the boy a quick glare before shifting his sights to Koriand’r, an action that made his smile return, “But _you_ , my dear… I’ve wanted to meet you for quite a while…”

“You are a stranger to me and my people,” Koriand’r said calmly, hardly intimidated by this strange man.

“Exactly! You… You and your people! A race that comes from the _stars!_ ” Riddler shouted gleefully, “A race that is sure to have infinite amounts of knowledge that we here on Earth can only DREAM of having! So, my dear - what was that Commissioner Gordon called you in his statement when he let the people of Gotham know that you weren’t a danger to anyone? Starfire? - you are going to share with me all that you know about your planet, space, the stars, and anything else I want to know!”

Koriand’r glared at him, clenching her fists. “I do not wish to speak to you…”

“Ah, but that’s the kicker, Starfire! You don’t have a choice!” Riddler laughed again, clearly not threatened by their scowls and protests at all. “Only a man such as myself with such high intelligence can not only comprehend the idea of worlds outside of our own and the raw power and life living among the stars, but am also the only one on this planet who DESERVES such knowledge!” Turning his sights back to Dick, Riddler gave a scoff. “Certainly more deserving than _Bruce Wayne_ …”

It was then that Riddler’s riddle from a few days ago popped back into his head. Of course… How could they not have seen it?! Born of earth, another word for earth was ‘terra’. And something that was more than they needed yet something they still wanted was an extra! Extra… Terra… Extraterrestrial! That was another word for alien! And ‘where moneybags reside’... Commissioner Gordon had announced that Kori was staying with Bruce Wayne so the people of Gotham didn’t have to wonder or worry about where she was. And Stately Wayne Manor had plenty of security, Riddler had probably been spending the last few days trying to figure out a way in - that or he was hoping Batman would solve the riddle and give him some sort of opening by accident.

‘But once he heard we were outside of the manor,’ Dick thought to himself, ‘He probably just shoved all his plans aside and figured he should try to get what he wanted while it seemed like a ‘sitting duck.’ Of course, none of that really mattered now. “We don’t care why you want her, she said she doesn’t want to talk to you! So just leave her alone!” Dick ordered.

“And if you recall what I said, brat, she doesn’t have a choice!” In one shift motion, Riddler reached into his overcoat, pulling out his question-mark cane and flipping it upside down before aiming it at Koriand’r. As soon as he did that, the end of the cane popped off and out shot a net, wrapping around the alien girl and trapping her limbs before she could even try to fly away!

“Hey!” Koriand’r cried out. Dick gritted his teeth, wishing so badly he was in his costume just so he could show the fiend what happened when he messed with his friends! ...Then again, as he saw a bit of a green glow from her hands out of the corner of his eye, he quickly decided that maybe Koriand’r didn’t need Robin at the moment...

The Riddler continued to giggle hysterically as he dropped his overcoat, revealing his usual spandex and question-mark covered jumpsuit. He turned his cane back over, holding it the proper way now. “Of course an alien girl is just as easy to capture as an earth girl! Now-” he began to point the curved part of the cane towards them. There was no doubt that it was filled with sleeping gas. “You two are going to take a little nap, and when you wake up, Starfire, we’ll get down to-!”

In a flash (literally), a beam of green light shot out from Koriand’r now-glowing eyes, hitting the top of the cane directly and melting it instantly, making the Riddler yelp and jump back. Then, with what could almost be described as a battle cry, Koriand’r broke free from the net, with her strength breaking the ropes while the burning energy from her hands turned the remains to ash.

“...Oh,” was all Riddler could say, his eyes now about as wide as dinner plates.

Koriand’r crossed her arms. “So… What was that about me being easy to capture?” Riddler had no answer for her. Instead he just turned on his heel and ran away, though to little success. It only took about a second for her to catch up with him, lifting him up by the loose fabric on his jumpsuit. And as the criminal yelled and pleaded for mercy, Kori simply glanced over at Dick, a casual smile on her face. “Dick, I believe we should drop this strange man off at your planet’s nearest prison, yes?”

Dick chuckled, walking over to them. “Couldn’t have said it any better myself, Kori!”

()()()()()()()()()()

“Ohhh, are you _sure_ you two are alright?”

“Yes Aunt Harriet, we’re fine!” Dick insisted. Gosh, who would’ve thought news would travel so fast? Then again, the Riddler was one of Gotham’s most dangerous criminals, so it didn’t really surprise him that Chief O’Hara would call his family to let him know what had happened, even if neither he nor Koriand’r had been hurt.

“He was no threat whatsoever,” Koriand’r nodded, “And he is in the custody of your city’s police, so there is nothing to worry about.”

Despite this, Harriet still frowned, looking worried. “Even so… Oh, I’m just so relieved you two are alright! I’m sorry you had to deal with this madman, and on your night out too!”

Just as Dick was about to tell her (again) that they would be alright, Alfred decided to step in. “Miss Cooper, may I get you some warm tea to help you calm down?” the old butler asked, giving her a warm smile.

Harriet sighed, but nodded. “Yes Alfred, I think I’ll need it if I’m going to sleep at all tonight…”

“Uh, speaking of sleep,” Dick spoke up, “Kori and I will probably getting ready for bed soon, so we’ll just see you in the morning, alright?” He gave his aunt a quick kiss on the cheek before saying goodnight and leaving the room with his date right beside him. “...So yeah, sorry our night had to end at the Gotham Police Station,” he told her once they were far enough down the hall.

But Koriand’r giggled, “Now who is the one worrying?” Dick just gave a sheepish shrug at that. “It is fine, I know that being a hero means your enemies may attack at any moment, it cannot be helped. And besides…” Her smile softened as she looked at him, “I really enjoyed myself tonight, even more than I assumed I would… I enjoyed being with you, dancing with you, it was… happy.” Probably the happiest she had felt in a long time…

Dick beamed at that. “Gosh, that’s… That’s great to hear! I mean, I’m really glad to hear you had a great time since, well I was sorta worried that you wouldn’t… But you did, and I did too so… yeah!”

“Yes… And, perhaps if our plans regarding my ship and my departure continue to go well, maybe… Maybe we will find the time to do this again.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “Y-You… Er, yeah! Yeah, of course we can try to do this again! That… That would be great.” Of course it would be great. Honestly, in that moment, it seemed like the greatest thing ever…

Koriand’r smiled at him, and neither of them decided to say anything else, nor did they make a move to leave and head to their respective rooms. However, as the seconds continued to pass, they did start to move towards each other, just a little…

“Excuse me.” Blinking, Dick broke their eye contact first and looked behind them, where Bruce stood. The man didn’t look angry exactly, but he didn’t look too pleased either.

“Um, yeah Bruce?” Dick asked, suddenly feeling a bit nervous, “Is everything alright?”

Bruce didn’t answer. Instead he just told them, “I think you both should come with me,” before turning on his heel and heading towards his study. He could see Koriand’r giving him a curious look, but since he had no answers to give her, Dick silently followed his guardian down the hall - and eventually, down the bat-poles.

In the Batcave, everything seemed pretty normal. ...Or rather, it all seemed pretty normal at first. However, as they continued following Bruce, the two teens quickly noticed a small table that had been set up by Koriand’r ship. But it wasn’t the table itself that was strange, but instead the small gadgets that had been placed on it. They definitely weren’t bat-gadgets, so what…?

By this point, Koriand’r had stopped, frozen in what was either shock or guilt. Perhaps a little of both. As for Dick, he continued on, wanting to get a closer look at these new gadgets. They were of pretty good size, with one looking like a mini generator. Another looked similar to the Bat-Laser only bigger, and there were even some that looked like projectiles, or perhaps they were even meant to be bombs. “...Bruce, what is all this stuff?” Dick finally asked, glancing up at him.

“Perhaps… You should ask her,” Bruce replied, not even looking at his ward, but instead at their houseguest, “Why did she start making weapons here when she told us she only wanted to fix her ship. And furthermore… Why was she doing this in secret, forcing herself into the Batcave without telling anyone.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “What…?” Slowly, Dick turned around, clearly confused. That couldn’t be true… Could it? “Kori?”

Koriand’r said nothing in return. She just continued to stare back at them - stare back at the weapons Bruce had found. Her expression was one of guilt, yet she did nothing to deny the accusations.

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway point, ya’ll! ^v^ Thank you to everyone who’s given kudos and comments, I appreciate those so so much! If it wasn’t for all the support, who knows if I would’ve even made it this far with the story. So yeah, thanks so much ^v^ And it only gets more exciting from here!

**** "Well, Commissioner, from what I’ve just heard from the warden, it sounds like the Riddler has officially gone up the river!”

“And he’ll hopefully stay there for a while,” Commissioner Gordon nodded. With how quiet the Riddler had been since his escape from jail, he didn’t think they would catch him again so soon. But now that another one of their city’s most dastardly villains was behind bars, he felt like he could rest easily - at least for tonight.

Chief O’Hara chuckled, crossing his arms. “After that scare that Miss Starfire gave ‘im, I’m sure he’d be happy to stay in jail for a while. Ya certainly don’t want to make a young lass like that angry!”

“Indeed,” Gordon smirked. Let that be a lesson to the Prince of Puzzlers about kidnapping young women - whether they be from Earth or from space! “So, I take it that you’re getting ready to head home now, chief?”

“Aye,” O’Hara nodded, “I’ll be seeing you in the morning, Commissioner.”

Lifting up his other hand (since his dominant hand was busy using a pencil to go through the latest round of police reports, using a pen to mark any spots in need of edits or clarification), Gordon gave the officer a quick wave. “Goodnight, chief.” Honestly, part of him felt like heading home too. It was getting late, after all… However, with men like Batman in their city working as hard as possible to go above and beyond in their jobs, it was enough to inspire Gordon to get just a bit more paperwork done.

Turning to the next page, he began writing down some notes -  **_*boom…*_ ** Gordon blinked, glancing up. That was strange…  Had that been thunder? He turned his chair towards his window. It didn’t look like there were any clouds, so it wasn’t thunder… But there wasn’t any smoke or sudden fires either, so it couldn’t have been an explosion.

“Maybe we’ve got a storm heading towards us,” the commissioner mumbled to himself as he stood up. He always liked having his window open on calm nights, both for the fresh air and the occasional cooling breeze. But if there was a possible storm on the way, then it was better to be safe than sorry.

So, Gordon shut the window and headed back to his desk, blissfully unaware as he continued to work away in silence…

()()()()()()()()()()()

“Kori?” Dick furrowed his brow. “You said you just had to fix your ship. Why are you building weapons down here? What… What is all this stuff for?” he asked, gesturing to the table.

Koriand’r continued not looking at them, though she did answer. “I am sorry, but I believe the appropriate phrase is, ‘it is not the business of yours’.” 

The Dynamic Duo gave her a curious look. It was sorta funny... Normally when people said this, they sounded annoyed or defensive. But Koriand’r… She only sounded ashamed. But all guilt aside - “I’m afraid it became our business when you started using the materials and tools from the Batcave,” Bruce replied, “And the fact that you hid these weapons doesn’t help your case, Koriand’r.”

Again, the girl said nothing. No arguing, no trying to defend herself, nothing. Bruce sighed. “if you don’t tell us why you built these weapons, then…” He paused, just for a moment before continuing, his voice as strong and unwavering as ever. “Then I’m afraid I’ll have to turn you in to Commissioner Gordon.”

Koriand’r flinched slightly at that while Dick turned to look at his guardian in shock. “What?! Bruce, you can’t! She didn’t do anything wrong!”

“I’m sorry, Dick, but if she refuses to tell us what she’s planning on using these weapons for, then I must assume the worst and take the appropriate action. For the sake of Gotham City.” Bruce then looked back at their guest. “But that all can be avoided, Koriand’r, if you would just tell us-”

“I was never planning on using those weapons here on Earth,” Koriand’r said suddenly, meeting the millionaire’s eyes, “Not on you or your people. I swear on my honor that these weapons are for after I leave Earth.”

“...But why?” Dick asked. If anything, her answer just made him even more curious - and even more concerned. “Why do you even need weapons? Why-”

Kori scowled at him, and suddenly the Boy Wonder felt like they were back at the McArnold Family General Store. Back to being strangers, and back to Kori being reluctant to tell him  _ anything _ about herself… “You would not understand,” she said simply, turning away from both of them, “And I do not want to try and help you understand…”

“...” Not deterred just yet, Dick took a step towards her. “Koriand’r, Bruce and I are both heroes. If, if there’s something or someone that you need to fight then we get it, we do! And, and maybe we could even help-!”

_ “No!”  _ Koriand’r stepped. Her fists were glowing now. Unable to stop himself, Dick let out a small gasp - though, more out of surprise than fear. Still, he then felt a hand on his shoulder. No doubt that it was Bruce, ready to defend and protect his ward if necessary. But it wasn’t necessary, and Dick wasn’t afraid. At least, he wasn’t afraid for himself...

“I do not need help on these matters… I  _ should not  _ need help…” After a few seconds, the bright green energy faded away, and as Koriand’r released her fists, she wrapped her arms around herself. “...You two may be heroes, but you are not Tamaranians, nor are you royalty,” she told them quietly, “You could never truly understand how I feel…”

The cave fell into silence, with the only noises being the beeps and boops of the various bat-machines and computers and the occasional squeaks of the bats above. Dick kept trying to think of something to say, but whenever he opened his mouth, nothing came out. Honestly, what could be said to something like that?

So, he decided to say nothing. Instead, he gently shook off Bruce’s hand and stepped forward once more, moving around the young girl and going to her front so they could look each other in the eye. Koriand’r still had her arms wrapped around herself, and Dick didn’t try to move them. He didn’t try to pull her forward or even touch her. He just looked at her and waited… Waited until she decided to look at him, her green eyes still filled with shame and reluctance. 

Dick gave her a small smile, and when he saw her start to relax a bit, that’s when he began to speak.

“You’re right, Kori… We don’t know how you feel. Not really. And, whatever happened… Whatever made you have to leave your home in the first place and whatever you’re going to have to face on the way back, it makes sense that you wouldn’t want to talk about something so awful.”

Koriand’r suddenly gave a bitter laugh. “‘Awful’ is an understatement… My home, my people…  _ My _ failure.”

Dick frowned. “...You don’t have to tell us anything, and you don’t have to let us help you either. Whatever this is, it’s your business. It’s your fight.” Koriand’r gave a short nod in agreement. 

“...But,” the boy continued, “That doesn’t mean we’re not still going to offer help, just in case you want it. Not because we want to try and solve your problem for you, or because we think you need us, but because I - because  _ we _ are your friends!”

“That we are,” Bruce spoke up, “We know how hard some fights can be. How high the stakes can be, and how hard a loss can be. However, even if this fight is something only you can take on, Koriand’r, well… Sometimes just knowing that you have allies in your corner - that you’re not truly alone even if you’re the only in the fray - is sometimes enough to keep you going.”

“And that’s all we want you to know,” Dick continued, giving Koriand’r another encouraging smile, “That we’re here supporting you, that we can help you if you want it and will cheer you on if you don’t! ...Heh, and if you only need us to give you a few sandwiches with extra mustard on them before you leave Earth then, well, we can do that too!”

Koriand’r did smile just a little at that last bit, but she still said nothing. But that was alright. It was alright. With nothing left to say, Dick looked over at Bruce, who simply gestured towards the Bat-poles. Of course they would still be cautious and keep an eye on her but, if Koriand’r was telling the truth and these weapons were only going to be in her personal fight and not on the people of Earth, then there was no need for constant supervision.

So, the two men began walking towards the cave’s exit-

“Did you know… that Tamaranians don’t need spaceships to survive in space?”

Bruce slowed his steps while Dick completely froze in place as they both looked back at Koriand’r. She had turned back around, her eyes on the cave floor. “Of course we still use them in order to reach planets at a faster rate, but in terms of survival, they are unnecessary.”

“...So, if you had wanted to…” Dick began to say.

“I could have left the very same day I arrived on Earth,” Koriand’r finished. In the back of his mind, Dick couldn’t help but be thankful for the fact that she didn’t leave before he had gotten the chance to get to know her.

“You could have, but didn’t,” Bruce added, placing his hand on his chin as he thought, “Because you didn’t need your ship for travel purposes… But you still needed it as a defense, just as you needed these weapons despite having strength and power of your own.” 

Koriand’r nodded. “And, most likely, I will need these things now much more than I did before. By now, I’m sure Komand’r-” She paused, and sneered a bit. “ _ Empress _ Komand’r has placed hundreds of ships and soldiers around Tamaran with the orders to kill and destroy.”

“Komand’r…” Dick repeated, giving Kori a curious look. Their names sounded so similar.

“In your tongue, it would translate to ‘Black Fire’,” Koriand’r explained.

“And, I guess this Blackfire really doesn’t like you, huh?” Dick frowned, squeezing his fist with his other hand. Gosh… Would Kori be able to stand up to a whole fleet of people with the same powers as her with just a small ship and a few bombs? He’d like to think so, but...

Koriand’r sighed. “...She has disliked me for quite some time, yes. The only reason why I left Tamaran was because she was determined to destroy anyone who could threaten her hold on our planet. She did not want any of her people thinking that she could be overthrown.”

“Of course,” Bruce nodded gravely, “If people truly believe that there is no other option, then they are easier to control because there is a smaller chance of rebellion.” There were plenty of rulers throughout Earth’s history who had been like that as well, unfortunately. “That’s the idea anyway, though I choose to believe that any power formed from injustice can be fought and eventually broken down.”

“Hang on,” Dick said, realizing something, “If you can overthrow Blackfire and become empress of your planet instead, then does that mean…? I mean, you did say you were a royal, so-?”

Koriand’r nodded. “Yes, I am a princess. Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran… And younger sister of Empress Komand’r.”

“Holy tiara!” Despite also being a bit surprised, Bruce still gave his ward a look for that. “Er, sorry,” Dick said quickly, wincing, “It’s just… That’s sort of a big detail to leave out. Why didn’t you tell us that you were a princess before?”

Koriand’r scowled, though this time it wasn’t directed at Dick himself. “Because I did not  _ feel  _ like a princess. Not one that was worthy of the title, at least… I had a chance to stop Komand’r. I fought for the crown, but I lost.”

By now all of her burns and bruises had healed, but the memories were still there. Tamaranians were peaceful despite their many recreational battles. They believed in being able to defend themselves and their home, but were more interested in peace and making Tamaran a utopia for everyone than the beginning of a galaxy-wide empire. Komand’r, however, was a different story... 

Komand’r had always fought ferociously, only fighting for the sake of herself - for power that could only belong to her - above all else. It didn’t matter if what she wanted was good for Tamaran or not, Komand’r always made sure that she was going to get what she wanted, and not even her sister could be granted mercy from her in a battle.

“I was forced to run away, to escape in a ship just to avoid a fatal hit.” She gave another bitter laugh. “I could not even rely on my own speed and flight skills to get away. I… I should have stayed! I should have been able to face her head on, to fight and win for the sake of my people. But I was too weak…” She closed her eyes, her sister’s cruel laugh echoing in her ears. “I have  _ always _ been too weak…”

“Hey, you’re not weak!” Dick argued, “Just because you’re not as physically strong as your sister doesn’t make you weak, Kori!”

“Escaping in order to fight another day is ALWAYS a valid option in a battle,” Bruce added, “And as long as you’re planning on returning to Tamaran to fight her again, then you aren’t running away. You’re just preparing for the next fight, and sometimes that’s all we can do.”

“...I appreciate the attempts to up my cheer,” Koriand’r told them, even managing to give them a small yet tired smile, “but it is as I said, you two do not understand… However, you are right when you say that I am preparing to fight her again. For the sake of my planet and my people, I will face Komand’r again as soon as I can. And if I lose the battle once again… then perhaps I deserve to be destroyed.”

Dick’s eyes widened, shaking his head slightly. “Kori… You-”

“I would like to continue work on my ship before sleeping,” she told them suddenly, though now she was only looking at Bruce, “If that is alright. I will make sure to leave anything I build out in the open rather than hiding them.”

“Thank you,” Bruce nodded, “We’ll just leave you to it then.” With that, he gently pushed Dick along, and they continued to the bat-poles despite his ward’s reluctance to leave. Dick did glance back at her, but Koriand’r was already at the bat-tools, getting back to work. Not that Dick could really blame her, but…

“I - G-Goodnight, Kori,” he called out, though it almost sounded more like a plea than a pleasantry.

Koriand’r glanced up after a moment, and again she gave him a sad smile. “Goodnight, Dick… I hope this conflict did not ruin your enjoyment of our time out together.”

“...No, not at all,” he replied quietly as he grabbed hold of his designated bat-pole. Bruce activated the steam-lift switch, and up they went. “...You don’t think she means that, do you, Bruce?” Dick asked once they reached the study.

“...For some people, their honor as well as their successes and failures matters more than anything else, old chum,” Bruce told him simply. Dick knew he was trying to comfort him as best he could, but one look at his guardian’s face let him know that Bruce was just as concerned about Kori as he was. “All we can do now is let her know she has our support and to give her help when - or if - she asks for it.”

“Right… Of course…” It wasn’t much but, maybe it would be enough.

Soon enough, the two parted ways, with Bruce heading back downstairs to check on Alfred and Aunt Harriet while Dick headed to his bedroom. But as he undressed and slipped on some pajamas, he just kept hearing Koriand’r words.

_ “By now, I’m sure Empress Komand’r has placed hundreds of ships and soldiers around Tamaran with the orders to kill and destroy…” “I will fight her again, for the sake of my planet and my people…” “If I lose again… then perhaps I deserve to be destroyed...” _

“Gosh, Kori…” Dick squeezed his fist again, trying not to let himself get too worried or worked up. “S-She’ll be okay,” he told himself, “We’ll make sure she has everything she needs, and she’ll be strong enough, and she’ll win. She’ll defeat Blackfire with no trouble at all! Yeah…”

Getting under the covers now, he let himself stare out the window at the stars, still mumbling under his breath. “She’ll win… She’ll win… She’ll win...” 

She would be fine… She just  _ had _ to be.

()()()()()()()()()()

With a yawn, Commissioner Gordon unlocked the door to his office. ...His somewhat stuffy office, to be precise. “Hmph… It never did rain last night,” he huffed as he opened his window. But oh well, perhaps they were better off. 

What he needed now though was a fresh cup of coffee, something that his secretary would hopefully be bringing him soon. As if on cue, there was a knock at his door. “Ah, yes, come in, miss-!”

The door open, and Chief O’Hara poked his head in. “Um, sorry Commissioner,” he said sheepishly, “Though, I think I saw Bonnie startin’ up the coffee machine, so-”

“For goodness sake, Chief O’Hara!” Gordon shouted in disbelief, “Don’t tell me you’ve got a crime to report to me THIS early!”

“Oh no! No no, Commissioner, nothing like that!” O’Hara quickly told him, “Though, uh, I do have somethin’ urgent that needs your attention. Apparently, someone’s been askin’ to see you since dawn!"

“Oh really now? Well, go on then, bring them in,” Gordon ordered, sitting down at his desk. However, as Chief O’Hara stepped into his office and opened the door for their visitor, he quickly found himself standing back up.

The visitor was a young woman, and a tall one at that (taller than Gordon and O’Hara certainly) with long and straight black hair that looked almost like a dark purple in the light. She was also wearing a long dress with a hooded shawl that hid her already lowered face. This combined with her sniffling and the way she held her arms around her made her seem demure despite her height.

“Ohh, now what seems to be the problem, miss?” Gordon asked, trying to sound as gentle as possible. The poor girl already looked so upset, whatever had happened to her must have been truly awful!

The young woman continued to sniffle slightly as she ran a hand through one of her long locks. “W-Well, I… I’m afraid that I am not from here but, I think you may be able to help me? Please, I-I need your help…” Her voice was quiet, shaky with what Gordon could only assume was fear.

“Don’t ya worry, lass,” O’Hara told her, “Ya came to the right place!”

“Just tell us what your problem is, and we’ll do your best to solve it!” Gordon added, giving her a confident smile. 

“Well, a-alright then,” the young woman nodded, “But, um… I-I don’t… I, I’m not sure how to…” Quivering her lip now, she buried her face in her hands, nearly in tears.

Gordon gave her a look of pity. “There there, miss, there there. It’ll be alright. Now, you said you were out of town? Is there anyone I can call for you? Family, or a friend?”

“I, I don’t think so,” the woman replied, her voice still about as meek as a mouse’s, “It’s just me for now… Oh, I just don’t know what to do!”

“Is there someone after ya?” O’Hara questioned, “Some dastardly fiend who won’t leave you alone? Or are you missing something, or someone?”

The woman didn’t answer. She just continued to hold herself, keeping her head low as she tried not to burst into tears. 

Gordon gave a small sigh. “Miss, we would love to help you, but we can’t do that if you don’t give us any leads or tell us what’s wrong.”

“O-Oh. Yes, of course. I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I just, I don’t even know if you will be able to help me. I just didn’t know where else to go! ...Although…” Reaching into her shawl, she pulled out a ripped page from a newspaper. On it was a picture of Batman and Robin, along with a picture some lucky reporter had managed to get of the mysterious, fiery-haired alien that had landed in their city nearly a week ago. “Perhaps this Bat Man could help me instead.”

O’Hara grinned when he saw the page. “Of course! Batman! He’s our city’s greatest hero! And the Boy Wonder too! If anyone can help ya out a problem or save you from a villain, they can!”

“Hmm, but Batman is also a very busy crimefighter,” Gordon added, “Who knows what important work he could be doing in that cave of his? I really don’t want to bother him unless it’s an emergency. ...However, if it becomes clear that he’s the only one that can truly help you, miss, then I would be happy to call him in for you.”

The woman finally smiled at that, and even lifted her head up a bit, now allowing the two officers to see her bright purple eyes.

“Oh, that would be just  _ wonderful _ …”

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the wait. Enjoy the next chapter!

“...Well you sure are being quiet this morning, Dick.”

“Huh?” Dick glanced up, his hand still poking and playing with his scrambled eggs, “Oh uh, yeah, I guess. Maybe I just have a lot on my mind.”

“Ohhh.” Aunt Harriet nodded, and after glancing across the table at Koriand’r, she smiled sweetly. “Alright, Dick. Just know that you can always talk to me about whatever is on your mind, or about any questions you may have.”

The boy forced himself to smile back. “Uh, yeah, sure thing, Aunt Harriet.” Honestly, was his aunt ever going to stop being such a matchmaker? Besides, there were more important things to think about...

“May I now be excused to leave the table please?” Koriand’r asked, “I have finished eating my food and don’t require anymore.”

“Why, of course, dear!” Harriet nodded. Koriand’r thanked her and began to stand up.

“Uh, I think I’m done too,” Dick said quickly, standing up as well, “Thanks for the breakfast, Aunt Harriet. May I please be excused too?”

“Oh. Well, alright,” Harriet nodded, looking a bit surprised but going along with it anyway.

“Thanks!” With that, Dick followed Koriand’r out of the dining room, quickly catching up to her.

She was silent at first, but once she was sure they were far enough away, Kori whispered to him, “Are you expecting a call from the commissioner?”

“Oh, no,” Dick shook his head, “I just wasn’t that hungry, I guess. And, uh, I was… sorta hoping we could talk?”

“Oh…” Even if Koriand’r didn’t seem upset about this or even really that nervous, Dick could still tell she now felt a bit awkward, not that he could really blame her. “I hope that my words from last night did not upset you too much. Please understand that was not my intention, I was only being honest. And, of course, I am not wishing for me to be destroyed by my sister. I intend on fighting her with all that I have.”

“Yeah, I know...” Dick nodded, smiling slightly. Maybe it still wasn’t pleasant to think about but… “And, I know you can beat her too. I just know it.”

Kori smiled back at him. “That is good to hear. Thank you for your support, Dick.”

“Yeah, no problem.” In no time at all, they reached Bruce’s study, and Dick opened the secret entrance for her. “Um, if you want I could just leave you to work on your own for a bit,” he suggested, “I’m sure you could get a lot more done if I’m there talking and distracting you.”

“I am sure I would, as well. ...However-” Her smile grew as she took his hand, “The cave may end up becoming too quiet without you there to keep being my pleasant company, yes?”

“...” Dick grinned back at her, allowing her to lead him over to the bat-poles. As they traveled downward, he asked, “How much work do you have left?”

“I still have to make sure the engine is strong enough to make it to Tamaran,” Kori explained, “So I will need to complete a few tests-”

“We’ve got plenty of testing boxes! You can use one of those!”

“Thank you! I should continue to strengthen my defenses as well. Just enough to get past any fleets my sister has set up around the planet… Hmmm…”

“...What?” Dick asked, just before he hit the ‘outfit change’ switch. Even if he wasn’t working on any cases, he always felt sort of strange being in day clothes while in the Batcave. It was like wearing a tee shirt to a fancy gala! “Everything okay, Kori?”

“Oh, yes,” Koriand’r nodded, “I was just thinking. If I have the time, perhaps I should travel to safe and inconspicuous space in order to practice my combat skills, as well as to try and increase the strength of my star bolts. After all, I have not fought since I battled my sister…” She frowned. “I do not want to travel all the way back to Tamaran and challenge Komand’r, only to discover that I am… er, have been rusted. Is that the right phrase?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Dick nodded. Though, instead of sharing her worry, he was instead smiling at the idea that popped into his head. “And hey, if you need to train a bit to make sure you’re not getting rusty while staying here, I think we may have the perfect solution right here in the Batcave!” Good thing he was changing into his Robin uniform. 

As soon as they landed, Robin practically raced across the cave floor, past the Batmobile and Koriand’r ship and all of the Bat-Computers and Bat-Devices, going all the way to the deepest part of the cave where a boxing ring - along with weights, punching bags, suspensions rings, and much more - stood. Their own private gym for all the skills Batman and Robin - and any of their allies - could possibly need!

“Ah, I see! A recreational combat arena!” Kori commented, pleasantly surprised.

“Yep!” Grabbing onto the rope of the boxing ring, the Boy Wonder easily pulled himself up and into the ring. “And, well… I don’t know if you’d rather practice your fighting moves by yourself or not but, well… Heh, I may not be as strong as a Tamaranian, but I’ve heard that I’m a pretty good sparring partner! So-” He got into a fighting stance, punching his palm, “What do you say?”

Koriand’r smirked. “I say…” She stepped into the ring, and mimicked the gesture, “I accept your challenge, Robin the Boy Wonder! Just be sure to not hold back, if this is to truly be practice.”

“You don’t have to worry about that! So, you re- WHOA!” 

Not wanting to waste any time, the alien princess almost immediately threw a punch - one that Robin just barely managed to dodge. “Feel free to surrender at any time that you start to feel pain or regret!” He heard Kori tell him as she threw another punch.

This time though, Robin blocked it. “I’ll keep that in mind, but don’t count on it!” He then crouched down, trying to sweep her leg and knock her down. Of course, that was hard to with an opponent who could fly… “Ugh, why do I always forget that?”

Kori just giggled as she tried to grab her opponent, hoping put him into a hold, or at the very least knock him off balance for a bit. But, even without super speed, Robin was still very quick and light on his feet. 

He would throw in cartwheels and jumps with his dodging, giving his fighting style of flow that allowed him to shift into punches and kicks almost effortlessly. Koriand’r on the other hand, despite floating above the ‘arena’s’ floor more often than not, had a very grounded fighting style. 

Each move and hit she made was a forceful one, the goal of wanting to knock her opponent out as much as possible being very clear. She held back on using her starbolts of course, but with each punch thrown, Robin could almost see her hands glowing, imagining the strike of each powerful blast in his head. 

But even despite their huge gap in power between each other, their different fighting styles kept the spar interesting - as well as fun. “You are doing very well!” Koriand’r commented as she tried to kick Robin in the knee, “Not many can fight a Tamaranian!”

“Thanks!” Robin grinned, hopping over the kick, “Though, don’t be fooled! I’ve still got a couple ‘power moves’ of my own up my sleeve!”

“Oh really?” Kori raised an eyebrow, holding back any laughter, “And just what are those, Boy Wonder?”

“You’ll see…” As they continued fighting, Robin kept eyeing the acrobatic rings above them. He just had to wait for the right moment… And that moment came when Kori attempted to give him a possible spar-ending blow right in the gut. 

As soon as he saw her coming, Robin crouched down slightly, waited, and then jumped right over her - even using her shoulders to help him get a bit of extra air - finally grabbing the rings.

“Ah, I see,” Koriand’r smiled, crossing her arms, “Using your environment to your advantage. That is a strategy I know as well. And-” She rose from the ring, fists at the ready, “I believe I can use the air space as well,  _ without _ the use of the rings.” 

“I know!” Robin retorted as he continued to hold onto the rings, lightly swinging his feet, “I just thought we could keep this spar interesting!”

“Then interesting it shall be!” And with that, the fight continued. Koriand’r would repeatedly try to knock Robin off his rings, but the young hero would just keep swinging himself from ring to ring, refusing to fall. Eventually, once he got a good flow going again, Robin decided that it was time for a showstopper that he had been working on for quite a while.

He waited for Koriand’r to get close again, just close enough for his feet to barely touch her as he flipped himself upwards - so high he nearly hit the ceiling of the cave! Yet, despite this height, he stayed balanced as he flipped himself back around, legs at the ready. 

The acrobatics themselves were enough to distract Kori, enough for her to stay in place  _ just _ long enough for Robin to hit her with his foot right in the shoulder as he fell back to earth, knocking her back slightly and causing her to lose her altitude as well.

Of course, a kick from a human - even a strong one - wasn’t enough to completely knock her out. Both she and Robin stuck the landing, meeting each others eyes as they did so. Koriand’r looked at her challenger… and smiled.

“That was  _ incredible! _ ” she shouted, their fight momentarily forgotten.

Robin smiled, suddenly feeling a bit sheepish despite his pride at his flip-kick going exactly as planned. “Heh, y-yeah?”

“Yes! Very incredible!” Kori nodded as she clasped her hands together, “I-! ...I admittedly did not think humans were capable of such feats, of being able to use the skies and open space to their advantage, since their biology keeps them grounded. But you… With you, I am certain that with your free spirit and unbridled joy and strength while in the air, had you been born a Tamaranian you would have certainly flown the highest.”

“...Gosh... “ The hero’s smile softened as he felt a feeling of warmth bloom in his chest. “Well, my family’s not called the Flying Graysons for nothing,” he said quietly, “So… Thanks Kori. That comment means a lot to me.”

“You are very welcome,” Koriand’r nodded, returning the smile, “So, shall we continue our spar?” Robin didn’t say anything. He simply rushed forward, fists at the ready - and Kori was happy to do the same.

_ Meanwhile, in Stately Wayne Manor… _

Despite missing breakfast thanks to some urgent business documents that had required his attention, Bruce Wayne now had the rest of his morning free. So, after grabbing some toast and coffee from his kitchen, he retreated to his study.

Even if it was the one place in his home where his two lives just barely crossed over, Bruce still found peace and even solace in his study. It was quiet, far enough away from the television and other distractions, and had plenty of study materials that he always liked to look over every once in a while. “You never know what fact or skill could come in handy when you least expect it,” he had always told Dick, “And besides, an idle mind is an awful thing to waste.”

Currently, thanks to their new houseguest, Bruce had started going over his astronomy books. He wasn’t expecting to actually find the location of Tamaran in them, but perhaps he could at least narrow down the search for it,.. In the meantime, he could always look over Jupiter’s moons again. 

“Europa… Gaynemede… Herse… Adrastea... “ The millionaire gave a hum, turning the page back to a picture of Jupiter. “Fifth planet from the sun… Too gassy to support life though, but perhaps one of it’s moons could…” With all their power, he wondered if Tamaran was close to the Sun. Maybe near Mercury, perhaps?

Unfortunately, before he could ponder this any further, the red phone on the other side of his study began to ring. Truly, a hero’s work was never done. Without a hint of reluctance, Bruce closed his book, and answered the phone. “Yes, Commissioner?”

_ “Oh, Batman! I was hoping I wasn’t too early to catch you.” _

“Nonsense, Commissioner,” Bruce insisted, “I can come whenever the city needs me. Now, what seems to be the trouble?”

_ “Well, that’s just it… We don’t know.” _

Bruce blinked. “You… Don’t know?”

_ “You see, earlier this morning, Chief O’Hara brought in a young lady who was practically in tears! Completely devastated, and certainly in need of help! However, she refuses to tell us what’s wrong. Whenever we try to question her, she becomes so upset that she can’t even speak!” _

“I see…” Bruce replied, “That does seem like a problem.”

_ “Yes. However, when she learned about you, well… It seems that now she’s insistent. She only wants YOU to help her, and she’ll only tell you what’s wrong.” _

“Very well. I’ll be there as soon as I can, Commissioner.” Once the officer thanked him, Bruce hung up the phone and went straight to his bust of Shakespeare. “To the bat-poles,” he muttered to himself…

Reaching the bottom of the cave, Batman expected to the sounds of tools and engines and metalwork. Instead, he only heard the sound of distant voices echoing off the rocky walls. Voices, and laughter… Curious - and with a slight smirk on his face - Batman followed the voices.

“-And you are certain you are not getting tired?”

“Hardly!” Lunging forward again, Robin managed to grab Koriand’r’s wrist, hoping he could flip her.

However, the princess was ready, and she in return grabbed his wrist. With neither one willing to let go, Robin tried to push her off while Kori attempted to pull him towards her for a chance to kick him backwards. Because of this, the two ended up going into a quick spin, with Robin nearly falling into her arms. Still holding onto each other, they fell into another fit of laughter.

“Come on now! Are we sparring, or are we attempting to dance?” “Weeeell…”

Just then, they both heard the sound of someone clearing their throat. Catching a familiar bat-cowl out of the corner of his eye, Robin immediately let go of Koriand’r hands and took a step back. “O-Oh, hey Batman,” he greeted, his cheeks red, “Er, what’s going on?”

“Is your city in danger?” Koriand’r added, not looking nearly as embarrassed as her partner.

“Oh no, nothing that serious,” Batman told them, sounding casual enough despite his smile, “Just a citizen in distress down at the GCPD and-” The Dark Knight paused for just a moment. “...And, until I know more about the situation, I believe I can handle this on my own. After all, I wouldn’t want to interrupt you two. I’m sure you’re working hard on your sparring skills, as well as Koriand’r’s ship.”

“Oh yes, very much so!” Kori nodded while Robin just continued to blush, muttering something like “Holy Not-What-It-Looks-Like…” under his breath.

Holding back a chuckle at his ward, he instead told them, “I should be back in half an hour or so. I’ll see you both then.” And as the two teens gave a quick wave goodbye, Batman made his way back to the center of the Batcave where the Batmobile sat.

Getting in, he started flipping the necessary switches. “Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed… Ready to move out.” The engine roared to life, and the Batmobile raced out of the cave, its driver not wanting to keep Commissioner Gordon and this mysterious young lady waiting any longer than they had to.

()()()()()()()()()()

When Batman arrived at the police department, he could see Commissioner Gordon and Chief O’Hara pacing the floors outside of Gordon’s office, but no young woman… “Gentlemen?”

The two looked up at him. “Ah, Batman!” Gordon smiled, “Thank goodness, you’re here!”

“But where’s the Boy Wonder?” O’Hara asked, raising an eyebrow.

“He’s a bit busy at the moment,” Batman answered simply, “And since this didn’t sound like an emergency, I didn’t think it necessary for him to come along. Besides, you did say the young woman was only asking for me. Speaking of which…”

“Oh, yes. She’s right in here.” Gordon gestured to his office. “We ah, thought we’d give her some time alone, hoping it’d maybe calm her down.”

“Of course. May I?” The commissioner nodded, so Batman went over to the office door and opened it, walking inside.

Indeed, there was a young woman in there. Even as she sat in her chair, Batman could tell that she was tall. She wore a black dress and a purple hooded shawl, which only covered up her distraught face further, but the hair that flowed out of the hood was a dark purple. “Miss?” Batman said gently, making sure not to sound too intimidating.

The woman looked up, her bright purple eyes wide. Seeing her face fully now, Batman could truly see how young she was. If he had to guess, she was maybe just a year or so past being considered a teenager. “Oh… You must be the Bat Man. I can tell by your… interesting headwear.”

Chuckling slightly, Batman nodded. “Yes, I am Batman, and I’ve heard that you need my help?”

“Oh yes…” the woman nodded, “Very much so…”

“Alright then. What can I do to help you, miss?”

The woman didn’t give an answer. She just looked down at her lap, squeezing her hands together. Batman hummed, watching her. She must have really been in trouble, that or was just incredibly shy. 

Thinking it would put them more on equal footing and perhaps help her relax, Batman grabbed the Commissioner’s chair out from his desk and sat down next to the woman. “I understand this must be a difficult time for you, miss. So please, take your time. But I can promise you, you don’t have to be afraid. I’ll help you however I can.”

“...” Glancing up at him again, she gave the Caped Crusader a sweet smile. “You seem to be everything they say you are, Bat Man. I have only been here a day, and even I can see why you are considered a hero.”

Batman smiled back at her. Good, maybe a casual conversation like this would help her come out of her shell. “I just try to do what I can.”

“Oh, but you have done much! From what I have heard, you are constantly defeating the enemies of this city with little trouble at all!” The woman’s smile grew a bit as she continued, her bright eyes looking him over. “You seem quite strong for a human… As well as brave, and I could even say you seem noble as well! I am sure whoever meets you begins to admire you and care about you almost instantly.” 

“Er, w-well…” Feeling a bit of unease starting to settle in his stomach, Batman leaned away from the woman, his hands now at his sides instead of just sitting on his lap. Something was off… This woman, she didn’t look like any of the henchwomen he had seen working with his enemies. But then, who  _ was _ she? “I suppose I do have many fans, yes, but I certainly don’t do what I do for the fame-!”

“I even saw in the papers full of news that you helped an alien girl from Tamaran,” the woman grinned, “Helped calm her down - I’m sure she was pretty scared - and offered to keep an eye on her and help her rebuild her ship with the help of other citizens from this city, yes?”

Batman narrowed his eyes a bit, thinking back. Gordon had mentioned in his announcement to the public that, along with not being a threat to their fair city, Starfire would be living with Bruce Wayne and being assisted by Batman and Robin as she tried to go back home. But, had he mentioned anything about her being Tamaranian? Batman couldn’t remember.

“We... We really should be getting back to you and your problems, miss,” Batman insisted, “That’s what I’m here for, after all. To help you solve your… ‘problem’. But you haven’t even given me any information about it! I don’t even know your name.”

“My name isn’t that important,” the woman lightly argued, not even looking at him now as she ran her fingers through her long, dark locks. “Though… If you really have to know, I suppose you could call me Komand’r. If you can’t pronounce it properly, you can just call me what it translates to in your tongue-”

“Blackfire,” Batman finished for her, his eyes narrowed. 

Blackfire smirked. “It seems like you’re smart too, Bat Man. A shame that won’t help you with me-”

Batman was immediately on his feet, his hand on his utility belt as he cried out, “Commission-!” 

But before he could even take out a bat-a-rang, Blackfire stood up from her own seat and grabbed the back of his head. In one swift motion, she slammed the Dark Knight’s head right into the commissioner’s desk, knocking him out cold. 

Removing her hood - she didn’t really need it now, there was no one left to fool. At least, no one left in this building - Blackfire smiled down at the unconscious hero. “You’re lucky I didn’t use my star bolts on you. Then again, knocking you out with a single hit was easy enough. Maybe you aren’t as strong as I thought. Still…” She crouched down and wrapped her arms around Batman, easily picking him up. “You’ll still have your use…”

“...Say, commissioner?”

“Hm?” Gordon looked up from his newspaper. “Yes, Chief?”

“Batman’s been in there with that lass for quite a while,” O’Hara commented, glancing over at the shut door with a worried look, “Just how long does it take to get some information?”

“Well, women as distraught as she was could still be difficult to talk to, no matter how much they may want help,” Gordon argued. He looked up at the clock, and frowned. Had they really been in there that long? Even Batman shouldn’t take THAT long! “Though… Perhaps it couldn’t hurt to check up on them.”

Nodding, Chief O’Hara followed his boss to the office door - and gasped when he opened it. “Saints alive! They’re gone!”

“How strange!” Gordon added, almost in as much disbelief as his chief. Still, while surprising, it wasn’t completely abnormal. “Hmm… Perhaps he had to act quickly, as well as inconspicuously. This wouldn’t be the first time he left a room through a window, after all.” 

“Very true, commissioner,” O’Hara nodded, though he still didn’t look completely sure, “I just hope he was able to get some words out of that poor lass, and that she’s going to get the help she needs…” 

“Oh, don’t worry too much, Chief,” Gordon told him as he went back into his office, not noticing the slight warping and cracking on the right side of his desk, “After all, with Batman on the scene, what could go wrong...?”

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	8. Chapter 8

The rest of the morning seems to go by in a flash, or at least, that’s what it seemed like to the Boy Wonder and the Tamaranian Princess. Once they decided that they’d had enough sparring, Koriand’r went back to work on her various weapons, attaching them to her ship and even testing a couple of them (using the various targets and testing areas that the Batcave provided, of course). 

At the speed she was working at, not only would she have enough firepower to hopefully disable an entire fleet without leaving the safety of her vessel, but she would be able to leave by the next morning. Perhaps even by that night… And while part of Koriand’r was determined to make that goal, another part of her felt just a bit reluctant about it despite still wanting to go home.

As for Robin, he stayed nearby in case he was needed and did various chores, such as sharpening the Bat-a--rangs and checking the Bat-Ropes for any frays or weak spots. He had moved on to using the Bat Computer to do a bit of research for a local history report when he heard Alfred come into the cave.

“I just thought I’d drop off a bit of lunch for you all,” he announced, setting the silver tray of sandwiches down, along with three glasses of milk down. The two teens quickly made their way over to it. “Thank you very much, Alfred,” Koriand’r smiled, “I was admittedly starting to feel a bit of the hunger.”

“Yeah, same here.” As he took a bite, Dick noticed the extra sandwiches and milk, and realized something. “...Say, Alfred? Is Bruce upstairs?”

The older gentleman blinked. “No… I assumed he was down here with you two.”

“Well, he was. He got a call from Commissioner Gordon though, but it wasn’t a crime or an emergency, so he went to go check it out alone.” The boy’s frown deepened a bit. “And I just now noticed how long it’s been since he left…” Even emergency trips to the Commissioner’s office only took about half an hour to an hour at most.

“I am sure he is fine,” Koriand’r told him, sounding fairly confident, “Perhaps someone committed a crime and he had to defeat them before coming home?”

“Maybe... “ In a city like Gotham, something like that wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary. But even so- “I think I’ll still give him a call, just to make sure he doesn’t need any help.” Getting out his Bat-communicator, Robin pressed down the button and spoke in a clear and calm voice, mimicking the professional tone his guardian had used many times. “Robin to Batman, Robin to Batman. Is everything alright? Batman, can you hear me?”

The three of them waited for nearly a minute, but there was no answer. Still, Robin wasn’t going to let himself start to panic just yet. Putting the communicator away, he made his way over to the cave’s Batphone. It only took a couple rings for the other line to pick up. “ _Commissioner_ _Gordon_ _speaking_.”

“Hi Commissioner,” Robin greeted, “This is Robin. Sorry to bother you-”

_ “Oh, no bother at all, Boy Wonder!”  _ Gordon assured him, his somewhat stern voice now melting into a more grandfatherly tone, _ “Now, what can I do for you?” _

“Well, I know Batman said that he was going to your office to speak to a citizen in distress, and I was just wondering if he was still there.”

There was a bit of a pause on the other line. _ “...Actually, Boy Wonder, he left nearly two hours ago.” _

Robin nodded, squeezing the telephone cord around his fist. “I see… Did he say where he was going?”

_ “No... In fact, we didn’t even SEE him leave at all, let alone learn where he was going next - though I assumed he would’ve headed back to the Batcave.” _

The boy blinked at that. “Wait… You didn’t see him leave at all?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

_ “The Chief and I left him alone with the young woman in my office, and when we returned to check on them they were gone!” _ Gordon explained,  _ “We just thought they had to leave through the window for some reason. Though, the Batmobile is still here. We’ve even had to give it a parking ticket for violating the two hour limit.” _

“I’m sure Batman understands…” And honestly, a parking ticket was the least of his worries. Maybe leaving through a window wasn’t that strange for a guy like Batman, but leaving without telling Gordon or Robin and taking a young woman with him certainly was. “But, do you think I can stop by your office then? Maybe I can find a clue or something to figure out where he went. At the very least, I can make sure the Batmobile gets moved soon.”

_ “By all means! And if by some cruel twist of fate the Caped Crusader has gone missing, I’m sure that if anyone can find him, it’s you, Robin.” _

“Thanks Commissioner. See you soon.” With that, Robin hung up the phone and turned towards the others. 

“So, the Bat Man is missing?” Koriand’r asked, now frowning along with Alfred. 

“I don't know… But something definitely happened to him,” Robin answered, squeezing his fist, “And if we’re lucky, it's something he can get himself out of. In the meantime though, I have to see if I can figure out what exactly happened to him.” Once he knew that, he could start figuring out what to do next. Looking up, Robin then glanced over at Alfred. “Could you give me a ride on your Alf-Cycle to the police headquarters?”

The butler gave the boy a small smile. “Of course, Master Robin. And we can pick up the Batmobile as well-”

“Um, excuse me?” The two looked over at Koriand'r. “If the Bat Man is in danger, then I would like to help. He has been quite hospitable, and I would like to repay the favor, plus I do not want to see him hurt. So-” With her own small smile, she extended her hand to Robin. “I believe I could save your trip to the police some time, if you do not mind my assistance.”

Grinning back at her, Robin took her hand. “Of course not, Kori. Alfred, we’ll meet you at the Batmobile after we speak to the Commissioner.”

“Very good, sir!” Alfred nodded. With no time to spare, the three of them raced out of the Batcave. And while Alfred began biking down the old road towards the city, Koriand’r rose up and went behind Robin, picking him up under his arms and lifting both him and herself up into the sky. 

()()()()()()()()

“Hmmmm…” Robin narrowed his eyes a bit, crossing his arms as he looked down at the commissioner’s desk. “Were these slight cracks always here, sir?”

“I'm not sure,” Gordon answered, taking a look at the desk himself. “It is an old desk, after all, though I've tried to keep it in good condition. But… What could a couple small cracks mean?”

“I'm not sure,” Robin answered. Maybe it was nothing, or maybe there had been a struggle… But nothing else in the room was in disarray. Even after several minutes of searching, the Boy Wonder hadn't found anything. No blood, no hair, no bat-gadgets or notes left behind - there weren't even any fingerprints on the window sill! “Something strange is  _ definitely  _ going on!”

“The Bat Man said that he came to this office to speak with a citizen,” Koriand’r spoke up, “Was this citizen perhaps a villain or enemy in disguise?”

“I'm almost certain it wasn't, lass,” Chief O’Hara replied, “She was much taller than all of our known villainesses, and she wasn't even wearin’ high heels!”

“Besides, I've never seen Catwoman or the Queen of Diamonds or any of the other women currently in our prison with dark purple hair,” Gordon added, “or purple eyes, for that matter!”

Koriand'r’s eyes widened. “...The citizen had purple hair and eyes? And she was tall? As tall as me?” 

“Yes,” Gordon nodded, “Why? Do you know her, Starfire?”

“I do…” Looking at Robin now, she added in a grave tone, “And I am afraid the Bat Man could be in great danger, depending on how she is planning on using him to get whatever she may want from this planet…”

“Wait… Do you mean-” Kori nodded, and with a scowl Robin punched his hand. “Holy Family Reunion! Blackfire?! She came HERE?! But how, and why?!”

“Now wait, wait!” O’Hara said before Kori could say anything more, “Who’s Blackfire? 

“And what on earth could she want with Batman?!” Gordon asked.

Despite still frowning to himself, Robin tried his best to give the two officers a determined look. “I’m sorry, but we don’t have time to explain. But don’t worry, Kori and I will take care of it, and as soon as we find Batman we’ll call you.” With that, he began walking out of the office, not wanting to waste anymore time. Koriand’r followed, looking just as determined as her friend, though still a bit concerned…

“...So, what do you think your sister would want with Batman?”

“I am not sure,” Koriand’r mumbled, glancing up towards the skies, as if expecting a pair of purple star bolts to suddenly fly down. “She must know how important the Bat Man is to this city, but she did not leave a ransom note… And if she wanted to defeat him simply to show your people how powerful she is, she would have simply left his body in the commissioner’s office.”

Robin gulped at that, but quickly shook the gory image away. “Right… So then, maybe…” Narrowing his eyes a bit, the Boy Wonder began pacing next to the Batmobile. “Most criminals who try to kidnap Batman or me want to do it for money or to find out our secret identities, but Blackfire wouldn’t care about either of those things, right?”

Koriand’r shook her head. “Right. Earth currency would be worthless to her. She has always gone after power, and…” Her emerald eyes widened a bit. “And if she wanted to gain power on this planet, then why not do the kidnapping and ransom holding of the commissioner of Gotham? Or ask them where she can find your planet’s ruler and kidnap them?”

“Exactly! So she must have something planned for Batman specifically!” Robin’s frowned deepened a bit. “Or, something planned for someone related to Batman…”

“Or,” an elder voice from behind them began to say, “perhaps she is simply seeking to gain information from him.” Turning around, the two teens saw Alfred ride up on his bike. “Though, perhaps I should wait until I know the details to offer any advice. So, ah, which one of our female fiends are we dealing with once more, Master Robin?” he asked, “Catwoman? The Queen of Diamonds? Ma Parker?”

Robin gave a small scoff. He only wished they were dealing with one of them. Heck, dealing with ALL of them would still be less dangerous than this…

“You are dealing with none of your Earth fiends, but a Tamaranian one,” Kori answered, “Though, perhaps you are still somewhat right… If she cares not for money and does not care about the other Earth leaders, then Komand’r must be after information that only Bat Man has…” 

The princess then lowered her head a bit. “Such as, where her younger sister might be… After all, if she has been here in secret long enough, then she must know that the Bat Man and Robin assisted me even before Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson did.”

“Good heavens,” Alfred said quietly while Robin continued to scowl, squeezing his fist. Great… So now two people he cared about were in danger…

“Kori, whatever she wants with you, we’ll make sure she doesn’t get it!” Robin insisted.

Staring at him for a moment, Kori slowly gave him a sort of sad smile. “You forget that I will have to face my sister eventually if I want to take the rule of Tamaran away from her. Besides, the Bat Man is a good hero, and a friend…” Matching the boy’s stern glaze, Koriand’r stood firm. There was no fear to be found in her eyes. “I will do whatever I can to help save him.”

“...” As concerned as Robin was at that moment - both for Kori and for his guardian - he still felt his own confidence rise a bit at her words. Having a partner in this rescue mission was admittedly pretty nice too. “I, I appreciate that, Kori… I really do. Just, be careful. And let us help you when we can, okay?”

Koriand’r’s smile grew a bit. For many warriors across the galaxy, perhaps such a question would have been considered patronizing or insulting. But Kori could see past the question itself, and instead see the heart behind it. The care, the determination… the unwillingness to see a loved one fight a battle alone. 

These heroes… These humans that were complete strangers and knew nothing of Tamaran yet still wanted to help. It could no longer be argued that they were no longer simply her temporary allies. They were her fellow fighters. They were her teammates. And, above all else, they really were her friends - and Kori couldn’t have been happier. “Alright, Robin. I can accept those conditions. And… I appreciate this help as well. I really do.” 

Robin smiled back at her. “Heh, thanks. Okay, we’ve got some tracking equipment back at the Batcave, so let’s try using that first to see if we can find anything.” It was a bit of a longshot, since Robin was sure Blackfire would have found any trackers on Batman and destroyed them by now, but they had to start somewhere. 

However, just as the three of them began getting into the Batmobile- “ROBIN! Hey! Wait up, lad!” Standing up in his seat, Robin could see Chief O’Hara practically sprinting out of the GCPD building and down the stairs.

“What is it, Chief?” Robin asked while Alfred, currently in the driver’s seat, turned away as much as he could, hoping to hide his face enough so that the Chief wouldn’t recognize him. 

“I think we may have somethin’, Boy Wonder!” O’Hara announced, “There was just an arson attempt at the Gotham City Docks! So far we haven’t found the arsonist, but the flames - they be purple flames! The firemen have never seen anything like it!”

“Purple flames?!” “It must be Komand’r’s doing!” 

Instantly, the two teens hopped out of the car. “We’ll go check it out right now, Chief!” Robin told him, not even flinching when he felt himself leave the ground.  And as O’Hara gaped at the sight of the two rising teens, Alfred took this moment to quietly drive away, and hoped that not too many people would notice who was behind the Batmobile’s steering wheel.

()()()()()()()()()()

By the time they reached the docks, most of the fire had been put out. However, there were still a few small flames and embers that refused to completely go out, and just as O’Hara had claimed, they were a bright purple color. 

“If your sister’s still here,” Robin began, his eyes already searching the area, “Then she must be in hiding… We could be walking into a trap.”

“I am not afraid of the sneaking attacks,” Koriand’r stated, her own fists already a bright green just in case, “We just have to be ready for them. Besides, if we want to save the Bat Man, we have no other choice.”

“Right…” So, their search began.

There were nearly a hundred different docks and boating equipment storage buildings on this side of Gotham alone. It was a daunting task to search them all, even with Koriand’r’s speed, but they took it on without complaint and each area was searched thoroughly. 

Unfortunately, just like at Commissioner Gordon’s office, there were no clues to be found. No hidden weapons or traps either. Even firing a couple of Koriand’r own star bolts into the air didn’t make her sister come out. “I do not believe she’s hear,” she said finally after they searched their 63rd dock.

“I don’t think so either,” Robin sighed, “Holy Time Waster… Why the heck would she even bother starting a fire here if-?”

Just then, his eyes spotted something in the distance. It wasn’t a person, nor was it a weapon, but smoke that had risen above the cities smaller buildings. Smoke that was dark… not a dark grey but, almost a violet or eggplant color.

“Seems this was not her only target,” Koriand’r mumbled, already picking Robin up. It only took them a few minutes to reach this fire, so the purple flames were still quite large. Thankfully, Robin always had a small Bat-Extinguisher on his utility belt while Koriand’r used her force fields to protect nearby buildings and citizens. With their help, the firemen were able to get the fire under control in no time.

And yet, while they were happy about that… “I still don’t see anything,” Robin scowled. No traps or obvious paths leading to doom that Blackfire would want them to follow. The fire hadn’t even been created on an important building or landmark! As it turned out, it had simply been started in a dumpster that ended up spreading to the outside of a local hotel. 

“Excuse me, sir,” Koriand’r asked one of the firefighters, “But, did anyone here see a woman as tall as me with long black hair and purple eyes?”

“If you’re looking for a certain arsonist, Miss, the person who called in the fire didn’t mention seeing anyone near the start of it,” he answered her, “They only saw the flames. Sorry.” The alien frowned, disappointed, but thanked him anyway.

“If she wanted to intimidate people, she’d be doing much more than just making a couple small fires, right?” Robin asked, getting Koriand’r’s attention, “I mean, if she wanted to she could destroy a whole block in just a few minutes, right?”

Koriand’r grimaced a bit. “If Komand’r really wanted to, she could easily destroy at least  _ three _ city streets in only five minutes with enough power and strategic aim,” she told him, “So if Komand’r is trying to cause destruction for no other reason than causing destruction, then she is holding herself back greatly.” She then narrowed her eyes a bit. “And my sister  _ never _ holds back.”

Robin crossed his arms. “Then why is she doing so now…?” However, before he could get too deep in thought, he noticed the fire trucks leaving, their sirens blaring and indicating that they weren’t just going back to the fire house. “...Come on,” he said, taking her hand, “Whatever Blackfire’s up to, I don’t think she’s quite done with us yet.”

()()()()()()()()()()()

It was nearly 2 AM by the time the pair made it back to the Batcave, with Robin hardly being able to stand. Whether his exhaustion was physical or emotional, Koriand’r wasn’t completely sure. “...Robin?” she asked quietly, “Perhaps you should get some rest now?”

“I will… Just, just give me a minute, Kori,” he replied, closing his eyes as he squeezed the damaged fabric in his fist…

They had ended up searching over fifty different locations over Gotham, all of them containing fires with purple flames that ranged in size. And at each one, despite being searched thoroughly there were no traps to be found, and Blackfire never appeared to attack them. Just as one fire was put out, another would be lit, usually a few miles away. They had spent all day chasing someone who seemed like they were never even there!

However, out of all these fires, it was the final one that stuck out to Robin the most… It had been on the steps of the GCPD building, but rather than being on the actual building like most of the others, the fire had been lit on an object - cloth, most likely - and was then dropped on the police’s doorstep. It had been so small that Commissioner Gordon had been able to stomp it out. But while it’s size had been manageable, it had still been alarming, for it was only after the fire had been put out that Gordon could see what exactly had been burned...

Wincing, Robin held up the cloth - the burnt, damaged cowl of his guardian - up to his face. What did it mean? Was it only to taunt them, or was it to symbolize that Batman was no more? The boy prayed that it was the former. 

“...It will be alright…” he heard Koriand’r say as she put her hand on his shoulder, “Come, we should get some rest.”

“Yeah…” Robin nodded. Though, even as he and Kori went up the Batpoles and to their bedrooms, he still refused to let go of the burnt cowl…

Dawn arrived far too quickly, and despite their fatigue, the two of them forced themselves to go downstairs to breakfast with smiles on their face. After greeting them, Aunt Harriet gave a small hum. “Have either of you seen Bruce?” she asked, “Alfred said he had an emergency all-day board meeting yesterday, but I would think that he would be home by now.”

“Well, you know how stretched out business meetings can be,” Dick said with a shrug, “There’s always new business to discuss, after all.”

Harriet nodded. “How true. Still, I hope they’re at least giving him a good breakfast. You can’t think about all those numbers and statistics on an empty stomach!”

Dick’s smile waned a bit, but he made sure to keep it on his face even as his own stomach started to feel like it was doing somersaults. “Me too, Aunt Harriet, me too…” 

Breakfast was short, and after making a quick excuse about going for a walk in the park, the pair of teens were back in the Batcave. “Looks like there’s been three more fires in Gotham since we got back,” Robin announced as he read the Batcomputer’s update report, “And all the same results…”

Koriand’r scowled. “She must be doing this to taunt us then! There is no other explanation!” 

“But there has to be!” Robin argued, “If she wanted to just taunt you instead of fight or capture you, she could have done that without kidnapping Batman!”

“But what other plan could she have?” Koriand’r yelled back, “Every logical explanation has been ruled out!” Though admittedly, not even the taunting explanation made sense. They were no longer little girls, so why was Komand’r playing games if all she wanted was Koriand’r to be destroyed and for no one to ever challenge her power again?

The Boy Wonder gave a frustrated sigh - and then stopped, staying silent for a moment before taking a deep breath. “Okay, okay… Calm down,” he told himself, “A calm mind is a crime fighter’s greatest tool…” Getting angry over not being able to find a clue wouldn’t get them anywhere.

Still… what he wouldn’t give for some sort of clue to Blackfire’s plan, even if it was in the form of an annoying joke or riddle.

“...There must be something we are missing,” Koriand’r told him, taking a calmer tone as well.

“Yeah… Maybe, maybe a pattern?” Robin suggested. Grabbing a marker, he began heading to their map of Gotham City. “Okay, so the first fire was at the west docks, then there was one at a hotel’s dumpster…” Within a few minutes, the whole map was covered in seemingly random dots.

“I do not see any patterns,” Koriand’r told him as they stared at the map, “There is no strategy… She is not even hitting populated areas.”

“Yeah… she’s not hitting landmarks or important buildings either, and other than a couple sorta similar businesses, there’s no theme either,” Robin added. Then again, there weren’t many space themed buildings in Gotham… But Blackfire wasn’t exactly one of their supervillains either. 

“If she had no reason to attack these areas in particular, and she was not trying to actively harm as many humans as she could, then she must have another reason…” Koriand’r said, “It could be to taunt us, but that cannot be the only reason. Komand’r plans, but she does not waste time.”

“Right,” Robin nodded. So... what  _ was _ the other reason then? “Maybe she thought the fires would distract us from trying to rescue Batman?” He held back a groan. “But we still don’t even know where she’s keeping him!” 

He turned his eyes back to the map. “There has to be some sort of path, even an accidental one that she unconsciously created could give us some sort of lead.” As Batman had always told him, there was no perfect crime. There was always one mistake, one lead that could always be found. 

So, he tried connecting each dot once again… And found that the ‘path’ created didn’t lead anywhere. It only zigzagged around the city, going back and forth between random spots. Spots that were at least a few miles apart. “...Huh. You know, it’s kind of funny.”

Koriand’r raised an eyebrow. “So the situation is humorous now?” 

“Oh, no, definitely not! I just meant, it’s strange. See, when we were first looking for you, while we couldn’t really get any leads on where exactly you were, there were still witnesses. There were still people saying how they saw a girl with fiery hair flying around, even if they only saw you for a second. But Blackfire… Nobody ever saw her. So, how the heck can you go around starting all these fires without ANYONE seeing you?”

“That’s true,” Kori nodded as she thought back. No matter how many people they asked, absolutely no one had seen her sister. They didn’t even have to think about it, with the description they were given bein completely unfamiliar. “That  _ is _ strange… Even someone with great stealth skills would still be noticed.”

“Especially if they were lighting fires with purple flames,” Robin added, “And speaking of which, that also means she couldn’t just hire average looking citizens to light the fires for her, since they wouldn’t be able to replicate her purple flames! So that means…!” The Boy Wonder’s eyes widened, and he punched his hand. “Holy Sniper! If no one saw her flying around, then she must have been hiding in a spot high above the city-”

“Where she could launch her star bolts without being spotted,” Koriand’r finished, grinning a bit now, “Yes! We have figured out how she did it! Now we just need to locate where she was doing it!”

Robin nodded. With a newfound spring in his step, he practically leapt over to the Batcomputer. It took a couple minutes to process, but the computer was able to spit out the names of all the tallest buildings in Gotham. Though, as Robin looked through them and their heights, he began to frown. 

“What is it?” Koriand’r asked, giving him another curious look.

“It’s just… Even from high up, don’t you think s _ omeone _ would have still noticed fires being shot from the top of a building?” Robin asked, “Especially since most of these buildings are right next to others about the same height, so all a person would need to do was look out the window and they’d see her!” 

But Commissioner Gordon hadn’t received any calls alerting him to a strange young woman with purple hair shooting beams of light from the top of a building. The only instance that could’ve been reasonably missed was when she dropped off Batman’s burning cowl, given that it was late at night as well as dark. All of her other attacks should have been impossible to miss if she had been committing them from the top of a building, so that couldn’t be the solution either…

“...What about a spot outside of the city?” Koriand’r asked suddenly, “Somewhere that is still high up and could give her a useful view of the city, but is still hidden away?”

“I don’t think so… Most of the places outside of Gotham are farms and service stations. Hardly a skyscraper. Even the cliff sides aren’t that… Aren’t…” His eyes widened again. “Holy Telescope! Of course! Why didn’t I think of it before?”

“Think of what before?” Koriand’r asked. Robin didn’t answer her right away. He instead raced back to the map, hoping he was right. “About fifty miles outside of Gotham - far enough to get away from the city’s lights - there’s the Gotham Observatory! An observatory is-”

“A place where you can look out into the space around your planet to observe the stars and watch for possible incoming dangers such as falling meteors, yes?”

Robin blinked, staring at her for a moment. “I... guess you already know what an observatory is…” He gave her a sheepish smile. “Heh, sorry. I just- Well, I guess it makes sense for every planet to have one.”

“Of course. Even Tamaran must keep watch for meteors,” she told him, smirking a bit in return, “And I think I can see what you are trying to explain. Using your observatory’s telescopes, Komand’r could take aim without being noticed. She could even use the refraction of its telescopes to increase the distance of her star bolts.”

“And even if she had to fly up higher to see her target better, no one would even notice her because she would be so far away from everything!” Robin then grinned. “And since it’s so far away, and local scientists only use the observatory a couple times a month-”

“-It would be the perfect place to plot the next step of her plan,” Koriand’r finished for him, “And to hide the Bat Man!”

“Right! So, now that we’ve figured out where she is, I think it’s time we finally pay her a visit, don’t you think?”

Koriand’r nodded, her hands once again ablaze with dangerous green aura. “Yes… There is much work to be done.” They had a friend to save… and a fight to be won.

While Kori could easily carry him, Robin didn’t want her to have to worry about carrying both him and Batman (he was certain that she was getting tired of it, even if he himself didn’t mind being so close). So, Robin instead decided to fly on his own using the Bat-Helicopter while Kori flew beside him. A bit slower, but at least it would make getting back to the Batcave a bit easier.  

“See any star bolts coming our way?” Robin shouted over the wind.

Koriand’r shook her head. “If she has not attacked us despite our location being clear to her, then I doubt she will attack us now!” No, Blackfire wanted something from them, and it would be only after she got it that she would finally make her move. 

Soon enough, they landed at the Gotham Observatory. The area surrounding it was quiet, and the lights insider were all off. Even the doors were locked, but the pair continued on, knowing better than to judge a hideout by it’s cover.

...But even so, the inside of the observatory did seem pretty empty. “She has to be in here,” Robin whispered, “She just  _ has _ to be!”

“We will find her,” Kori told him, her voice strong despite its volume being low, “At the very least, we will make sure that we find the Bat Man...”

The Boy Wonder nodded. “Right…”

One by one, each room was searched. And one by one, each room was discovered to be empty, until there was only one room left: The highest level of the building, the telescope room.

So they went upstairs, quickly reaching the double doors that locked away the expensive telescope behind them. It didn’t take long to break these locks, yet Robin didn’t open them right away. He bit his lip slightly. What if they were wrong? This was their only lead… If they were wrong, what were they going to do next? What if it was already too late? What if they had already failed? What if-?”

His thoughts stopped as soon as Kori placed her hand over his. He could see the soft, encouraging smile she was giving him out of the corner of his eye, and he could feel himself start to relax, just a little. He could do this…  _ They _ could do this. And whatever happened next, they would do that together too.

Without a single word, they turned the knob. Each of pushed one of the two doors, and once the doors were open, they dared to look inside, and saw-

Robin gasped. “Batman!”

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	9. Chapter 9

Robin gasped. “Batman!”

There he was, sitting in a metal chair near the huge observatory telescope. His utility belt was missing while his arms were chained to his side, and his unmasked head was hanging low. For a moment, Robin feared the worst.

But as soon as his ward’s voice registered in his ears, Bruce looked up. His eyes were tired, and the couple could see that his cheeks were a bit bruised, but the hero smiled at them nonetheless.

Robin was by his guardian’s side in a flash, with Koriand’r right behind him. “Thank Gosh we found you! Are you alright?!” Had he been chained up this whole time? Robin was sure he had other injuries and ailments too...

But despite it all, Bruce continued to smile. “I’m alright, chum. No need to worry,” he insisted, grunting slightly, “I’m just a little roughed up, is all… I’m sure we’ve both been through worse.”

The boy managed a small laugh. “Yeah, no kidding… Though, usually, you’re the one rescuing me…” After a moment, he lowered his head a bit. “Sorry it took so long.”

“Don’t,” Bruce told him firmly, “Yes, speed is an important factor for any case, but what matters is that you two were able to figure out how to find me. Just like I knew you would be able to.” Robin smiled at that, appreciating the compliment. “Besides,” he continued, “You two weren’t the only ones struggling. Despite my years of training and mastering the art of escaping, I couldn’t even figure out how to loosen these chains-!”

“Because she melted them!” The two heroes looked back at Koriand’r, who was examining the clumped up metal keeping Bruce in his seat. “She knew that with enough struggling you could possibly loosen whatever she tied you down in, so she made sure that was impossible by taking metal chains and melting them together.”

Suddenly, Koriand’r eyes glowed bright. “But, that does not make them unbreakable,” she smirked, just before two small laser beams shot from her eyes. Aimed directly at the melted clumps, the emerald beams quickly began slicing through them. “A very easy fix, I can assure you.”

“Whoa! Heh, even better than a Bat-Blow Torch!” Robin grinned before turning back to his guardian. “Looks like we’ll have you out in a jiffy, Bru- er, Batman.”

Always had to remember the right title for the right occasion, even if Batman was missing his cowl. Though, speaking of which- The Boy Wonder quickly dug into one of his utility belt cases and pulled out a familiar cowl - this one taken from Batman’s spare cowl drawer in the cave and was in pristine condition.

Batman smiled in appreciation. “Good work.” Once his arms were freed, he took the cowl as quickly as his stiff arms would allow him and pulled it over his head.

“So what should we do now?” Robin asked before punching his hand, “To the Batcave?”

“No,” Koriand’r said, shaking her head, “If this is my sister’s hideout, then she should be coming back here soon, yes? We must find her first and figure out what she’s planning.”

“But this may not be her hideout,” Batman countered, “It may only be a decoy…”

“What do you mean?” the two teens asked in unison.

“It’s strange… Once she brought me here and made sure that I wasn’t going to escape, that was the last I saw of her. She didn’t even come back to check on me-” Perhaps because she knew her melted bonds were unbreakable, but still… Why not return to kill him, or interrogate him for information?

“So, you don’t know what she’s planning either, Batman?” Robin asked, almost in disbelief.

The Caped Crusader could only give a reluctant nod. “...Although, occasionally I thought I heard her voice in the distance, but it was too far and muffled to understand, and given that I only heard it every once in a while, who knows if she was actually nearby or if it was just my imagination…”

“Holy Cryptic,” Robin muttered while Koriand’r crossed her arms, clearly just as frustrated as the heroes were, “Say, Kori? If she was here talking to someone, do you think she’d try working with one of our villains?”

“Definitely not,” the princess answered without even needing to think about it, “She only works with others when they can give her what she wants, whether it is power or something physical. Even with their weapons, humans are not nearly as powerful as a Tamaranian, so unless they could hand her the ownership to this whole planet-”

Koriand’r stopped, a small gasp cutting off her words. As she remained silent, the two men gave her a curious look. “...Koriand’r?” “Kori? What’s wrong?”

“That is what she is after…” she said quietly, clenching her fists, “That is what she has been after all along!”

“What?” Robin asked, “What is she after?”

But while the boy still looked a bit confused, Batman began to understand just how grave this situation was. “Of course,” he mumbled. It only made sense… Most power-hungry people, once they knew their own kingdom was secure, only had one other thing on their mind.

Kori scowled as she finally looked back up at them. “She was never after me. At least, not entirely. She is not after Bat Man, not after the City of Gotham… But she has only ever been after this planet. That has been her ending goal: The conquering of Earth.”

_“Finally. I was wondering how long it would take you all to figure it out.”_

The group flinched, turning their heads towards the voice - towards the huge telescope. With the instrument poking through the observatory roof and up into the sky, they could see a tall figure standing on the top of it, their body a dark silhouette against the bright sun.

Slowly, the figure strolled down the telescope, smirking as they looked down at the trio of heroes. “And it’s _so_ good to finally see you again, little sister,” the voice continued. They could practically hear her smirking, already confident in both her power and her upcoming victory.

“Holy family reunion…” Batman placed a hand on his ward’s tense shoulder, silently warning him not to do anything foolish.

As for Koriand’r, she continued to glare, her eyes and fists alight. “You may be my sister by blood, Komand’r,” she growled, “But you are hardly one in spirit!”

Blackfire chuckled. “Wow, you’re breaking my heart, dear sister.” As she stepped further into the building, they could start to see her more clearly. Her outfit was similar to the one Koriand’r had been wearing when she first arrived on Earth - black fabric that looked like a two-piece swimsuit and long black boots. However, instead of silver bracelets on her arms, she wore what seemed sleeves made of metal.

She was wearing a bit of armor underneath her top as well, and unlike her sister’s curly fiery-orange hair, hers was straight with a nearly-black, dark purple color that sparkled slightly in the day’s light as if her mane had been weaved using pieces of space itself. But while her hair flowed freely behind her, her bangs were tucked behind a metal tiara that sat on her forehead, and her eyes - unafraid, unintimidated, completely amused - were a dangerously bright purple.

“Frankly, Koriand’r, it won’t matter what kind of sister I am,” Blackfire continued, her feet stopping as she stood balanced on the very end of the eye-piece of the device, “For I guarantee that you won’t live to see this planet’s next sun set, let alone my plans for Tamaran.”

“It will not be Tamaran if you continue to rule it!” Koriand’r snapped, “You only care about expanding _your_ empire! Our home should be all our people need! It’s all they want!”

“True… But you’re right, little sister.” Blackfire’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I do want more… and what’s more, I want you _dead._ ”

Robin growled, but again he was held back by Batman. Koriand’r didn’t move either, despite being in an attack position. Her sister would only counter it… They had to wait for an opening, a distraction… or maybe just a desperate enough moment.

Smirking once more, Blackfire hopped down, her feet stopping just before she could hit the floor. “That’s why I came here, after all,” she said as she began to float past them, circling them like a tiger preparing to pounce, “I couldn’t just let you get away with challenging me, nor could I give you a chance to fight me again one day.” The empress scoffed. “Not that you could ever defeat me but, still. Anyway, it was easy enough to track down your ship. But, the more I saw of this planet, the more I realized that it wasn’t just a wet, dirt-ball.”

Directing her sharp eyes towards Batman and Robin now, she grinned at them. “Honestly, you humans should be _proud_! This planet may not look like much, but it does have an abundance of… what’s the expression? Spare parts? Parts that could also be helpful resources, yes? Minerals, metals, materials - plenty of parts that can be harvested and used by a species that actually deserves them!”

The duo glared at her, and after a moment, she added, “And I’m sure I could find a use for humans too. Tamaranians have better things to do than mine and harvest resources, after all. You two seem like you could move quite a few rocks before perishing.”

“This planet isn’t yours yet,” Batman warned her.

“And we’ll make sure it’s NEVER yours!” Robin added.

Blackfire simply giggled at them. “Cute… I could see why someone like you would enjoy their presence, sister.”

Turning back to Koriand’r, she continued her monologue, her feet still never touching the ground. “Once I tracked your ship to this city, I continued to look around. I found those papers that announced news, saw your picture - saw that you had been taken in by this ‘Bat Man and Robin’, the heroes of this city. Hmph, you always were soft on other species, were you not?”

“I was _sympathetic_ ,” Koriand’r retorted, “While YOU only saw them as targets! Disposable! Lower than you on every level just for being alive!”

“Only because it was the truth,” Blackfire said casually, even giving a quick shrug, as if her decision to invade an innocent planet was as insignificant as deciding to eat out instead of staying in.

“Komand’r, we do not need to invade the Earth!” Kori continued to argue, practically pleading at this point, “Tamaran has all we will ever need! We must focus on taking care of it! THAT is what a true ruler should do!”

“But what should Tamaran mean to me?!” Blackfire retorted, actually scowling a bit, “What may have been a utopia for you, dear sister, was only ever an annoyance and a limitation to me! Besides, any old planet in the universe has the ability to simply survive. It is only the empires that become mighty and are spoken of across the stars.”

Koriand’r narrowed her eyes. “We do not need an empire, Koriand’r. We do not need the Earth. You only want it for yourself.”

“And only YOU could become endeared by even something as weak and powerless as a human, willing to make them your allies and protect them the moment you landed here.” The empress spared the heroes another glance. How easy it would be to simply destroy them with a single star bolt…

Still, Blackfire didn’t fire any attacks, and only continued to circle the trio. “I knew also you were either hiding and staying safe in shame or trying to find whatever weapons you could to battle my army once you were foolish enough to show your sorry face on Tamaran again. It would have been easy to find you, but I figured why not leave you be for now? In fact, why not make sure you stayed here even longer?”

“So you were trying to distract us,” Robin said suddenly, “Because you knew Kori wouldn’t leave without finding Batman and making sure he was safe first!”

“And while I was here distracted, you could begin sending troops here to begin the conquering,” Kori added, “You wanted to make sure that I didn’t intersect them as they traveled to Earth.”

“Well, yes,” Blackfire nodded, barely even looking at them now as she played with her hair, twirling it around her slender fingers. Holding her breath, Koriand’r began to move forward ever so slightly - and Blackfire’s other hand became engulfed in purple fire. Glare deepening, the princess returned to her original spot, and her sister’s cruel smirk grew.

“But mostly, dear sister, I just wanted to make our final battle all the more satisfying for me. To make you think that you still had a chance - make you think that you were safe - only to bring your true fate crashing down on you once more!”

Blackfire’s voice was a bit lighter now, almost playful as she continued to taunt. To Batman and Robin, it almost reminded them of an encounter with one of their own villains, only these stakes were much, _much_ higher.

“Why else would I not simply track you down and throw a star bolt in your back? It’s effective, but it’s hardly any fun, nor does it teach a lesson.”

And it was at that moment her smile finally fell, replaced with deep glare that could only be formed by a lifetime of anger and hatred. “No, Koriand’r… I wanted you to realize once and for all that you will _never_ defeat me just before I destroyed you.”

A moment passed, and as her smile returned, she added, “And besides… after how well our last fight went for me, it would be unfair to deny myself the opportunity to relive that personal experience.”

“...” Even if Kori’s physical body didn’t move, her eyes faltered. Memories of their previous fight - of _all_ their fights and their arguments and their entire lives together were all that she could see.

And while Batman could only frown at the grave situation, Robin was unable to stay silent any longer! “You… You witch! You cruel cosmic queen! I just can’t believe that someone as awful as you could ever be related to someone like Koriand’r-!”

“Robin.” The boy stopped, and looked over at Koriand’r. Surprisingly, the princess’s anger was gone, now replaced with sadness. At least, that’s what it looked like. “It is fine…”

“But… But Kori-!”

“You do not need to defend me. I know the truth.”

“Oh?” Blackfire stopped, now floating right in front of her younger sister.

“Yes...” Kori answered, meeting her gaze, “And I believe you know it too, Komand’r.”

Blackfire blinked, surprised by her reply. “Yes, it is true that you are stronger,” Koriand’r continued, “But that does not matter to our people. Not in the way you wish… Not in the way they admired Mother and Father, and not in the way they admire me. And you know that.”

And, even as Blackfire grit her teeth and began charging up her fists, Koriand’r’s strong voice never faltered. Her sister wasn’t afraid, and neither was she! “That is why you wanted to prevent me from leaving Earth - why you must destroy me instead of making me a slave - because you know that I can still lead others to rebel and fight against you, no matter how much power you have!”  

In that instance, Blackfire lunged at her sister. Kori put her arms up to block, but unfortunately it just wasn’t enough.The princess was still knocked back, and before she could even regain her footing, Blackfire swung her leg around and kicked Koriand’r across the room and through a wall.

“KORI!” the two heroes shouted, with Batman finally letting go of Robin.

Still fuming, Blackfire began throwing star bolts at the broken wall, refusing to take the time to even aim. “How DARE you!” she spat as she launched attack after attack, “I’m the only one here who’s worthy of admiration, little sister! And you would have been better off just dying in some crater!”

“Leave her alone!” Turning around, Blackfire saw Robin running towards her, with Batman (who had borrowed a couple Bat-A-Rangs from his sidekick’s belt) right behind him.

The Boy Wonder jumped up, trying his hardest to hit Blackfire, but the empress easily caught his fist and shoved him back, knocking him into Batman. “Annoying pests,” she muttered as she charged up another star bolt, “Hmph, so much for being heroes.”

“NO!” A streak of fire pushed Blackfire into another wall. “You will not hurt my friends, and I will not lose again!” they heard Koriand’r shout as she managed to get a couple punches in. But with her armor giving her an extra layer of defense, Blackfire was able to easily shake the hits off and knock her sister away once again.

“Like I said, only you would be pathetic enough to befriend a species just as pathetic as you!” Blackfire yelled.

With a battle cry being her only response, Koriand’r began firing her own star bolts as she flew around her sister, hoping to find an opening. Blackfire met these attacks with her own, and soon enough the entire room was filled with green and purple light whizzing back and forth, destroying whatever they managed to hit.

But even while taking cover, the Dynamic Duo still tried to help however they could, tossing Bat-a-rangs and Bat Ropes at Blackfire to slow her down. At the very least, they could help distract her. But each of their weapons was practically evaporated by the empress’ heat before they could even get near her!

“When-” Blackfire dodged another green star bolt. “Are you going-” She then flew directly at Koriand’r, her speed so great that her hair began to look like dark flames. “To LEARN?!” No longer having any patience, Blackfire brought her glowing hands together and threw them down hard, slamming them into Koriand’r’s body and sending her down into the floor.

“No! Kori!” Robin cried, “Kori! Get up!” But the princess was completely still…

Blackfire smirked. “Well, now that that’s taken care of…” She turned towards the Dynamic Duo, and while they at least tried to seem like they were ready to fight, she could see the fear in their faces. “Destroying you two will be simple enough.” She charged up another star bolt… and then aimed it towards the ceiling.

One last powerful blast was all she needed to make the entire building start to crumble. And with that, she flew out through the telescope’s opening without another word.

Batman gritted his teeth. “We have to get out of here!” he shouted over the sound of the falling ceiling and rumbling walls, "All of us!"

“Right” Robin yelled back, and he and Batman raced over to the fallen princess. “Kori!” He tried picking her up, thinking that they could at least carry her out, “C-Come on, we have to-!”

A huge chunk of the roof nearly fell on them, causing Robin to stumble back. The noise was so loud now that even as Batman was right next to them, he could barely hear his voice ordering them to get down. This was it…!

And as for Blackfire, she simply watched from afar. It only took a couple more seconds for the entire building to collapse on top of the heroes, and she couldn’t have been happier.

Reaching into her chest armor, she then pulled out a simple communication device. “General K’targ, how far are your troops?”

A couple moments of radio silence passed before a voice on the other end answered. _“My ship has just entered the planet’s atmosphere, your highness. The other ships are behind me and should be here within the next hour.”_

“Good,” Blackfire nodded, “And you still have the coordinates I gave you for the first city I want us to attack?”

Another pause. _“...Yes, your highness...”_

“Excellent. Begin rounding up any humans you see once you land. Make sure they know we are not a force to be ignored. And if anyone - Human or Tamaranian - tries to stop you, you know what to do, K’Targ.”

 _“Of course, your highness.”_ Satisfied, Blackfire ended the call and glanced up towards the sky. She couldn’t see any ships yet, but she was sure that they would be there soon. She chuckled when she imagined the shocked and terrified faces of the Commissioner and the police chief once they saw her army. What fools…

And yet, they still hadn’t been the biggest fools on this planet.

Taking one last look at the pile of rubble that was once Gotham Observatory, she smirked before flying back towards the city. “Goodbye, little sister.”

**_OH NO! Say it isn’t so! Have the Dynamic Duo and Princess Koriand’r really been buried alive under a ton of rubble? Is there any hope of stopping Blackfire before she takes over the city - and the world?_ **

**_Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter, and the incredible conclusion to our story that’s soon to follow! Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel!_ **

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	10. Chapter 10

A ways away from the hustle and bustle of city life sat the Gotham State Penitentiary. A place of not only punishment, but also self reflection and healing, for Warden Crichton liked to believe that any hardened criminal could eventually turn their life around and once again become a member of society.

As such, he had several methods to try and encourage the various criminals of Gotham to find different outlets for their various quirks and villainous tendencies. One of these methods was allowing the prisoners some recreational time out in the yard. Similar to the frequent assignment of breaking down rocks, the idea was to tire the prisoners out, but with the added bonus of having the freedom to try various physical activities and hopefully find something they enjoyed doing just as much as committing crime.

It was a noble idea, certainly a unique one. But amidst all the games of Basketball and marbles and weight lifting, the more infamous of Gotham’s criminals settled in for some light conversation - as well as perhaps a bit of light teasing.

“Say fellas,” Joker spoke up once their current topic of discussion - one of which was more effective, poisonous gas or laughing gas - slowed down, gaining the attention of the group, “I don’t know about you, but I think this may be the day!”

Already familiar with this comedy routine, the Riddler slumped in his seat on the bench, his head in his hands. “Shouldn’t you find some new material already, Joker? Otherwise the Warden’s ideas won’t be the only stale things here...”

Unfortunately for the Prince of Puzzles, his comment was ignored by the group. “Oh, but what do you mean, Joker?” Egghead asked, putting on an innocent expression.

“Wenk, yes my clowning comrad,” Penguin said, grinning in amusement as he played along, “Whatever do you mean?”

“Why, the flying alien of course!” Joker exclaimed before pointing up into the sky, “Look! There she is now! And I do believe she’s going to come down and lift this whole prison away! Oh I do hope she takes us over the ocean, I’ve always wanted to go whale watching!”

As the group of criminals laughed, Riddler only scoffed. “Laugh all you’d like, you narrow-minded nitwits, but I can swear to you that this girl really did have the ability to fly! And-”

“And the eye lasers that could melt metal!” Joker interrupted, “Oh, you can’t forget that!”

“And she had the strength to lift you clean off the ground with just one hand,” King Tut added, “Yes, yes, we’ve heard this tale before, knave.”

“Honestly, just because a girl lands in the middle of a city in some homemade ship and a hidden flying contraption doesn’t make her an alien!” Penguin argued, “Why, she could’ve even been a criminal like us! Maybe she was simply trying to scare people into thinking she could ‘launch an invasion’ so they’d surrender to her! Wehhh, the Commissioner and those other morons at the papers will believe ANYTHING! I just didn’t think _you_ were one of those morons, Riddler.”

“How dare you!” Riddler shouted, standing up, “You- you pompous pigeon!”

“Why I oughta-!” Everyone in their little group was on their feet now, hoping to see whatever action there would be between the two villains. But before a single punch was thrown, an alarm went off. Everyone froze, first in panic that they had done something wrong, but then in confusion when they didn’t see any guards coming their way.

“What’s going on?” King Tut demanded, “Who activated that blasted alarm?!”

“Well… I think ‘what’ may be the more appropriate word in this instance, my egg-stravegant fellow,” Egghead retorted as he watched the guards race across the wall of the prison. Several of them were pointing towards the sky, expressing the same confusion - and perhaps even a bit of fear - as their prisoners. But once they followed their gazes, they could easily see why even an armed man could be frightened at such a sight.

For high up in the blue skies of Gotham was a large metal ship, curved with black markings painted on it and looking much more impressive than anything NASA might have been working on. And after squinting their eyes, they could see a figure with long hair in front of the ship. A person that floated above the clouds without the need of any devices or vehicles of their own. A person that could actually _fly!_

“...Riddle me this, gentlemen: When is the impossible suddenly believabl-?”

“Oh shut up,” Joker snapped - though the clown’s eyes never left the skies...

Miles away, at Gotham City Police Headquarters, it could seem that all Gordon could do was stand and watch as the mighty ship came closer and closer to his city. Citizens were already running off the streets and trying to find whatever possible shelter they could. But when put up against a powerful space ship, was there anywhere that was truly safe?

“Commissioner!” he heard O’Hara say as he raced through his office door, “Have you seen-?!”

“I have, Chief,” the older man said gravely, “I certainly have…” An alien invasion… One would think that such a thing only happened in science fiction stories and comic books, and yet here it was in their own city.

Taking off his hat, Chief O’Hara stood beside his commissioner. “Saints preserve us… Um, Commissioner, have… Have you tried calling-?”

“I’ve thought about it,” Gordon told him as he glanced over at the red telephone, “But… I don’t think that even Batman could stop something of this magnitude…”

()()()()()()()()()()

The Gotham Observatory - or at least, what was left of it - was still. Nothing left to break or collapse, just a still pile of rubble. And, even worse yet, it was now the burial site for Batman, Robin and Princess Koriand’r.

...At least, that’s what it seemed like.

But, slowly, the rubble began to shift ever so slightly. Small noises could be heard under the concrete and metal. A muffled voice, the sound of digging, and then, finally-

**_*BOOM!*_ **

A single, powerful beam of green light shot through the rubble, turning anything in its path into burnt pebbles and forming a small enough hole to climb through, allowing for those trapped inside to escape.

Robin came up first, the Bat-Shield still in his hand just in case any part of their makeshift tunnel began to collapse. Koriand’r came up next, and then Batman right behind her. They were all covered in dust and dirt, as well as bruises, but they were all still standing despite Blackfire’s best efforts.

“Great quick thinking on your part, old chum,” Batman spoke up, “The Bat-Shield was just big enough to protect us from getting knocked unconscious.”

“Thanks,” Robin nodded, giving a small sigh, “But Kori’s the one who really saved us. If it wasn’t for her powers, we would’ve spent hours digging ourselves out of there!” Though, looking at his friend, he was sad to see that their miraculous escape wasn’t enough to put a smile on her face.

Even so, considering the circumstances, it made sense for Koriand’r to still be concerned. They may have escaped, but they weren’t out of danger just yet - and neither was Gotham. “We must get to the city,” she told them, “The sooner we stop Komand’r, the sooner we stop the invasion.”

“Of course,” Batman agreed, “But we should stop by the Batcave to prepare. I need to grab another utility belt, and Koriand’r can grab the weapons that she’s made-”

The princess shook her head. “If anyone will be using those weapons, it will be you and Robin.”

“Huh? But, but Kori!” Robin started to argue, “You were the one who-”

“Yes, I am the one who built them, because I intended to use them to get past any forces on Tamaran,” Koriand’r reminded, “But I will not be going after any of the soldiers here, not unless you need me to. I will only be going after Komand’r…” And with such a meaningful battle, it would also have to be a fair one if she was still going to try and earn back the throne. No weapons, only her own power and skills.

“...We can understand that,” Batman said quietly, giving her a small nod, “Robin and I have many years of combat training. I’m sure we can at least stall the Tamaranians while you fight your sister.”

“Yeah… Fight and win,” Robin told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, “Just like we know you will.”

While it was still very much appreciated to know that her friend had so much unwavering confidence in her, a half smile was all Kori could offer him in return. “Thank you, Robin… Though, I must admit, for once the fight is not the only thing on my mind…”

Robin stared at her, curious - that is, until he remembered the conversation between the two sisters earlier. So much anger and hatred… He was almost certain their relationship hadn’t started out that way. At the very least, he could see Kori trying to get along with her older sister, only for her to resent Kori in the end… Being an only child, Robin just couldn’t imagine how painful and frustrating that must be…

“...We need to get going, everyone. Look.” Batman directed them towards Gotham, where a ship was already preparing to land.

“Holy War of the Worlds!” Robin commented. That ship was definitely a lot bigger than Kori’s, and he was sure there were more than just a few Tamaranians in there too!

“Exactly. If we’re going to prepare for this fight, we need to do it quickly,” Batman continued.

The princess nodded while Robin punched his hand. “Right!” they said in unison. Without another moment to lose, the Dynamic Duo raised to the Bat-Helicopter. Knowing speed was of the essence, Koriand’r then got behind the Bat-Helicopter, grabbing the tail of it and pushing it along, giving it a much needed boost.

Glancing back at her, Robin couldn’t help but smile. “Gosh, she sure is amazing, isn’t she, Batman?”

Holding back a chuckle, Batman replied, “She certainly is, old chum. But let’s keep our minds focused on the upcoming battle, just as I’m sure Koriand’r is doing right now.”

“Er, right.” Robin turned himself back to the front of the helicopter, putting on a serious expression. “Of course. Sorry Batman.”

Needless to say, Alfred had been a bit shocked to see them covered in dirt and bruises, but Batman assured him that they would rest later. “Right now, we must save Gotham! Now, is Miss Cooper safe?”

“Well, more or less,” Alfred said, shrugging slightly, “She ah, heard about the ‘invasion’ as it were and, well, I’m afraid she fainted. However, I was able to help her to her bedroom, where she’s now resting comfortably.”

“Good. Please keep an eye on her, Alfred, and hopefully by the time she wakes up, this will all be taken care of.” Alfred nodded, wishing the trio good luck before heading back upstairs.

It only took about five minutes for nearly all of Kori’s weapons - as well as a new utility belt for Batman - to be gathered up, and once they were ready Kori didn’t even hesitate to grab the arms of the Caped Crusaders, flying them right out of the cave!  

Their mission - probably the most important one of their lives - had officially begun!

()()()()()()()()()()

The General’s personal troop - one made up of thirty of the strongest Tamaranians he could find - had already marched down several streets. Most of the citizens had managed to escape, either by seeking shelter or getting out of Gotham. However, in the panic, there were still plenty of cars on the street, parked at strange angles and blocking the street for other drivers.

A dead end for drivers, but only a simple annoyance for Tamaranians.

With a grunt, K’Targ grabbed the hood of one car, lifting it up slightly before giving it a hard shove. Like a battering ram, the car hit the others in its path, shoving them all to the end of the road. Nothing more than a pile of metal now.

“Onwards!” K’Targ told his troops, “For Empress Komand’r!” There were no cheers, but there were no arguments either. The soldiers just kept marching, eyes locked towards the big, white building with a sign on it that read ‘Gotham City Police Headquarters’.

If there were no humans to gather up, then they would just have to start finding some.

“K’TARG!” The general froze, and before he could even search for the source of the voice, Koriand’r - as well as two humans dressed in strange costumes - landed before him.

“...Princess Koriand’r,” he said simply, resisting the urge to bow, “I wondered if we would meet on this battlefield. ...I had hoped we would not, but I also prayed that you were still alive.”

Koriand’r stared back at him, her eyes softening a bit. “K’Targ… We both know that this battle will hold no honor for any Tamaranian. We do not need this planet. The humans have done anything to us, so why would we desire to see any of their blood shed?”

“You forget, princess, our opinions matter not,” K’Targ argued, though his tone still remained neutral. It lacked any of the passion she had heard from him when he and Galfore had trained her in combat as a child. “We have direct orders from Her Highness, and we cannot let anything stand in our way. Not even you.”

Koriand’r eyes narrowed - not in anger, but in determination. “Then I hope you do not take any of my actions in the personal way, my General. What I do, I do for Tamaran, as well as for the Earth.”

“Then I wish you the best of luck, Princess…” With that, the general raised his hand, gripping a carved battle ax adorned with fiery gemstones. “Soldiers!” K’Targ cried out, “ATTACK!”

The soldiers raced forward, weapons in hand, but their ‘enemies’ didn’t even flinch. They were ready. In a swift motion, Batman reached into his belt and threw a tiny object down. Within seconds, most of the street was covered in a thick smoke.

Batman and Robin had opted out of taking any of Koriand’r’s crafted grenades, not wanting to cause a lot of damage to nearby building. Smoke bombs however, were a much different story.

Having a bit of an advantage now, the trio began to go on the offense. Naturally, Koriand’r used her star bolts as well well as her fists, choosing to attack multiple soldiers at once to try and even out their odds. The soldiers would use their weapons to try and slow her down or injure her, but they were no match for Kori. With a single *ZZZZZAP!* their weapons were nothing but ash!  

As for Batman and Robin, well… While fighting against multiple enemies was nothing new, their choice in weaponry was. Both of them were partial to using fists but, given that Tamaranians were so much stronger than them, they had to even the playing field somewhat.

In Batman’s hands was a Tamaranian-style sword. He had already mastered several forms of swordfighting, but this weapon had an added bonus: The blade could be heated, thanks to the bit of plasma flowing through it, turning it into what could have been considered a blade of fire.

Seeing a couple soldiers coming his way, the Dark Knight got into position. Both men were using hammers, slamming them down into the pavement as they tried to hit their earthling enemy. Thankfully, with Batman being smaller and quicker, he was able to dodge each of their attacks. Once he did that, he used his sword to begin slicing at their armor.

One of the soldiers tried to grab him again, but Batman instead used that to his advantage. Grabbing the Tamaranian’s incoming fist, he managed to use momentum to shove him right into his fellow soldier! Switching his sword to his non-dominant hand for just a moment, Batman then gave the two a few quick punches to the face - *POW!* *SMACK!* *BAM!* - knocking them down once more!

“Let that be a lesson to you two gentlemen,” Batman told them once he was sure they wouldn’t get back up, “The people of Earth are not to be underestimated!”

On the other side of the battlefield, Robin was going up against three soldiers who were circling him, their spears at the ready. Thankfully, the Boy Wonder wasn’t about to lose his nerve over being outnumbered. Using his own spear, Robin was able to dodge and duck each attempted slice, flipping over the blades and even landing a couple of his own attacks.

“If you think we will tire out thanks to these acrobatics, then you have already lost!” one of the soldiers shouted as he attempted to grab Robin’s ankle.

Gritting his teeth, Robin gave the hand a hard kick, causing the Tamaranian to cry out. “Fine, if you want to duel, then let’s duel!” Spear at the ready, he went on the offensive.

*CLING!* *CLANG!* *SWOOSH*

It wasn’t easy to fight off three well-trained men with just a spear, even for a Boy Wonder… But luckily, that wasn’t all that he had at his disposal. Making sure to stay light on his feet, Robin began adding in a few martial arts moves that he and Bruce had been studying.

With his spear now being used to mostly block incoming attacks - give or take the occasional swing or hit - he used his feet try and disable his opponents, either knocking them off-balance or even managing to knock their spears out of their hands. Maybe he couldn’t match them in strength, but he still had his speed and his wits!

And, once the soldiers seemed to be weakened enough, Robin decided it was time to finish their match. Pressing a button hidden in the handle of his spear, the head of it began to glow green. “Looks like we humans can bring the heat too!” he said, just before the spear fired a precise laser that, despite the soldiers’ best efforts to block it, still knocked them off their feet. Down and out!

“Good work,” he heard Koriand’r say from behind him.

Robin smiled. “Thanks, I-” As he turned to face her, he noticed all the Tamaranians behind her that were now groaning on the ground, defeated for now. “...Heh, same to you!”

“Thank you,” Kori nodded, smiling back at him for just a moment before focusing back on the fight. “Shall we make quick good work of the last of these soldiers?” she asked as several more came running towards them.

The Boy Wonder grinned. “I was hoping you’d ask me that.”

Soon enough, the two teens were surrounded once more, back-to-back with each other with their respective powers and weapons at the ready.

_Perfect._

As the soldiers began their onslaught of attacks, the two of moved in what could have been considered perfect syncing - well, perfect _opposite_ syncing. When Kori moved left, Robin moved right. When Robin ducked, Kori rose up. And when one of them blocked, the other fired or attacked.   
  
*WHAM!* *KLONK!* *KAPOW!*

And not only did they protect each other, but they also used each other! Grabbing each other’s hand, lifting each other up to either dodge or get a bit of extra air for an attack. Spinning, kicking, pulling, swinging. It was clear that they were both great fighters when separate. But while together? They were UNBEATABLE, no matter what the numbers were!

And said numbers were dwindling fast, with their final move - Kori throwing Robin up, allowing him kick their last two enemies away just before she knocked them out completely with an eye blast - finishing the job.

Catching their breath for just a moment, they smiled at each other. “Now Robin, are we fighting,” Koriand’r began to ask, “or are you attempting to dance with me again?”

Robin chuckled. “Weeeell…”

 _“Erg!”_ Blinking, Robin looked towards his guardian - who was currently in a duel with Tamaranian, one that had a plasma-infused sword just as he did. Certainly a worthy foe in any rate, with his attacks being hard and fast. Batman could hardly defend himself!

“Bat Man!” Koriand’r shouted. She nearly threw a couple star bolts at the soldier, just to get him to back off a bit and give the hero a chance to properly fight back. However, she didn’t even get the chance to charge up her flames.

While the now-slightly melted Bat Shield still managed to be a worthy defense, Batman had a spare moment to make one last-chance move. Turning the sword around in his hand so that the handle was facing his enemy, Batman  rammed the metal handle right into the soldier’s gut, knocking the wind out of him. *CLUNK!*

Once he did that, it only took a few more well-aimed punches to send the Tamaranian crashing into the concrete. “...I hope I didn’t worry you two,” Batman said, glancing back at them once his own fight ended.

Robin just smirked back. “Not for a second.”

“We were able to fight them off with great perseverance, yes,” Koriand’r began to say, “But I am afraid we can not rest. With the general’s troop temporarily defeated, we must find my sister now before the others-!”

“Oh? Looking for me?”

Recognizing the voice immediately, the trio looked up, with Koriand’r growling at the sight of her sister once again smirking down at them. “Komand’r!”

“You know, as annoyed as I am, I’m almost impressed that you were able to survive two of what should have been fatal moments,” Blackfire told her, “Your actions really are quite noble, dear sister. Incredibly foolish, but noble. Still… We both know that your little allies can’t keep this up forever. Not against our entire armada.”

It was only then that the heroes really began to notice the skies. Two more ships were preparing to land near the street they were on, and there were three more high up in the sky that were sure to be there in several minutes.

“Oh, but please!” Blackfire called out, flashing the heroes a smile, “Do try to keep fighting. The troops could always use a warm up before they _really_ get to work.”

Clenching her fists, Koriand’r turned back to look at her friends. “I must leave you… The invasion will not stop until she is defeated!”

“We know,” Batman nodded, “You go, and we will try to keep fighting for as long as we can.”

“Don’t worry about us,” Robin added, “We’ll be fine. Just focus on taking Blackfire down!”

“I will!” Koriand’r nodded, her feet already beginning to rise from the ground, “Good luck to both of you!” Hair ablaze, she then flew upwards like a rocket, more than ready to face her familial foe.

Grinning now, Blackfire rose up as well, fists burning bright. It was finally time to end their rivalry once and for all!

“...So,” Robin began, managing to tear his gaze from Kori and once again focus on the soldiers in front of them. Temporary had been right… While most of the soldiers were still down, several were beginning to get back up, not to mention all the new soldiers that were coming their way. “...Just how long do you think we can keep this up, Batman?”

“For as long as we can, old chum,” Batman replied as he steadied his sword, “For as long as we can.”

The Boy Wonder nodded, gripping his spear tightly. Without another word, the duo raced back into the fray while the sky above them began to fill with shots of green and purple light.

The battle may have been nearly over, but the war was just beginning…

**TO BE CONTINUED!**


	11. Chapter 11

“RAH!” Letting out a battle cry, Koriand’r put her hands together, combining her two charged-up star bolts into one mighty attack that was too big to dodge. 

So, Blackfire put her arms together in front of her face, taking the beam and blocking it as best she could. Not wanting to give her a chance to rest, Koriand’r then charged forward for a hit. Unfortunately for her, her fist was caught.

“Oh, little sister,” Blackfire smirked as she prepared to throw a star bolt of her own, “When will you ever learn~?”

Gasping slightly, Kori managed to duck out of the attack just in time, pulling herself out of her sister’s grip. “You are so infuriating!” Kori yelled, gritting her teeth.

Blackfire narrowed her eyes. “And you-” She threw more star bolts, one after the other, with Koriand’r barely able to dodge them. A couple of them actually grazed her ankles and arms, burning her with their intensity. “Are an annoying-! Little-! BRAT!”

Having no choice, Koriand’r ducked behind a nearby water tower, just to catch her breath. “Why has she always been like this?” she mumbled to herself. Of course, that was an easy answer to give...

Komand’r had been born on a day that was said to bring bad omens according to their Tamaranian calendar. Because of this, some people in the kingdom thought she would bring bad luck to their planet once she came to rule. When their parents died, these rumors only seemed to grow, with many claiming that Komand’r was far too young and inexperienced to rule. No matter how hard Komand’r worked to become stronger or how much older she became, shadows of doubt and superstition always seemed to follow her. 

And that was only one half of her problems… The other half was when her little sister came into her life. Of course, Koriand’r couldn’t have known about Komand’r’s critics or what her birthday meant to some people at such a young age, nor could she really grasp the amount of praise and love that she herself was getting just for being born - praise that her older sister had never really gotten. 

But their parents had tried to treat them both fairly. Give them both love and guidance, as well as teaching them the best they could. Koriand’r had tried to, wanting to be her sister’s friend for most of their childhood despite always being pushed away - usually in very violent ways. But none of it ever seemed to matter, and now…

“Now she is so focused on proving everyone wrong and showing her own strength, that she is blinded to what she is truly doing,” Kori told herself, narrowing her eyes. Her sister had been blinded by hatred… And, if she was being honest, after years of pain and torment at her sister’s hands just for being born, and after seeing the destruction Komand’r was bringing to their Utopian planet, Kori was beginning to feel some of that hatred as well. 

“Come on out, little sister!” she heard Blackfire cry out, breaking her out of her thoughts, “Otherwise I may get bored and start using those Earthlings as target practice!”

Clenching her fists, Kori finally left her hiding spot. Only instead of throwing another attack at Blackfire, she threw one at the water tower - which, along with bursting in an explosion of light and water, also quickly formed a huge cloud of thick steam.

“Tc’ch,” Blackfire scoffed as she tried to search through the steam, “Cheap trick… Always running and hiding, never being able to rely on actual strength like I can. No wonder I was always the better-!” 

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her neck, sending her downward. She didn’t crash persay, but she did still hit the ground, paralyzed by the hit for just a moment. And as she looked up at her little sister with newfound fury in her eyes, Koriand’r simply stared back, looking determined as ever despite her injuries and fatigue.

“You will not be the better fighter this time,” Kori told her, “I will not allow it! And I will not allow you to push me around any more!”

“We shall see about that…” With that, Blackfire launched herself upwards, her strength being enough to leave a small crater in the concrete. 

For a moment, Robin glanced up at the two Tamaranian Royals. Even if Blackfire had a slight advantage, it was still hard to tell who was going to eventually win. “Come on, Kori,” he said quietly, “You can do it…”

“Robin! Look out!” 

“Huh?” The Boy Wonder brought his attention back to the fight - though he did this a second too late, it would seem. A fist collided with his face, knocking him back and nearly knocking him out of the fight completely. 

“You would both do well to surrender,” one of the soldiers stated as he readied his spear, pointing it straight at the fallen young hero’s chest, “Before it is too late to do so.” The warrior prepared to fire- 

*SMACK!* Thankfully, Batman’s bat-a-rang hit his hand just in time, making his weapon falter slightly and allowing Robin enough time to stand back up. Still, a sharp bat-a-rang to the hand wasn’t nearly enough to take the Tamaranian out of the fight. 

To make matters worse, the Caped Crusaders could still see more soldiers coming their way. Even with all the Tamaranians they had managed to take out, there were still more marching down the street from their landing sights, all adorned in dark purple armor with silver coated weapons and hair in various shades of red and brown, quickly joining their fellow warrior in surrounding the Earthling heroes.

“What are we going to do, Batman?!” Robin mumbled, taking a couple steps back, “We’re way out numbered here!” Not to mention how sore and tired they were getting…

But even with all of this in mind, Batman tried not to let his concern show. “We’ll be alright, old chum,” he told Robin as he handed him his dropped spear. Part of him wished he could simply tell the boy to run and hide, but he knew Robin would refuse, and Batman could hardly force him when there were much bigger things to take care of in the moment. So, they would both keep fighting, and somehow someway, they would be okay.

...At the very least, they would be defending Gotham until the very end, and they would perish as heroes.

“Take them out!” they heard the General shout from the back, and with a mighty cry the alien warriors began charging forward once more. Batman and Robin steadied themselves, getting into defensive positions, and then-!

_ *SPLAT!* _

The Tamaranian in front - the one that had nearly defeated Robin - suddenly had egg on his face. Literally! And while the man was sputtering in anger and disgust, the others had slowed, now looking just as confused as… Well, as Batman and Robin themselves. “What in the world…?” was all Batman could say. 

But the strangeness didn’t end there. Before any further moves from either side could be made, a pink and green smoke grenade fell from above, bouncing on the ground a bit before rolling right between them. Recognizing it immediately, the Dynamic Duo quickly covered their faces with their capes just before the grenade released it’s gas. Thick, pink smoke soon covered the front half of the Tamaranian army, and within seconds, at least a dozen soldiers were laughing themselves silly.

“Ha!” a familiar voice cried out, “I told you my laughing gas would work on those alien muscle-heads! You owe me a soda, Pengy!” “Oh fine, fine! Wekkk…”

Turning around, the two heroes were pretty shocked to see several of their villains staring back at them, all of them with familiar weapons at the ready. “Joker?” Batman questioned, “Penguin? Riddler?”

“Not to mention Egghead and King Tut,” Robin added, crossing his arms as he gave the gang of rogues a small scowl, “I could’ve guessed that you all would’ve broken out once you figured out that the police had bigger problems to worry about, but why are you all here instead of heading towards the next town over like everyone else?”

“Oh, we were on our way,” King Tut replied casually, “Pretty close to the Gotham city limits too.”

“Why, my Joker-mobile was even all gassed up and ready to go!” Joker added with a bit of a giggle, “And we all know how fun a good old fashioned road trip can be, can’t we? Hehe!”

“But, as we were making our egg-xit, something occurred to us,” Egghead started to explain, “If aliens were to take over Gotham City, and perhaps even the whole planet, then where would we end up being stuck? And besides-”

“This turf belongs to the rogues of Earth!” King Tut shouted, raising his gold snake staff, “And if anyone should take it over, it shall be ME!”

The Penguin cleared his throat. “Wennnk, I think you mean me, Tut. But yes, that’s about the gist of it, so don’t think we’re here to help you two. Frankly as far as I’m concerned, you two can leave the planet with them!”

“However-” Riddler butted in, “For the time being, even we evildoers can work with goodknicks like you if it means getting this extraterrestrial competition out of here!” And, while the other rogues agreed, Batman could’ve sworn he heard Egghead mutter something about trying to make a deal with the aliens in a worst case scenario. “For what do you call it when-?”

Unfortunately for the Riddler, his riddle making was cut off once again. Despite still laughing, the Tamaranian soldiers had started to try to attack again, while others were quickly moving into the fray once they were sure the gas had cleared out. 

Batman blocked one of the incoming punches while Robin quickly ducked down, managing to sweep the legs of another soldier. Once they had the chance to do so, the heroes backed up, leaving a spot wide open. Thankfully, Egghead happily took this opportunity to throw more eggs, providing both distraction and distraction while Penguin and Tut rushed in with their trusty umbrella and staff respectively.

“What do you think, Batman?” the Boy Wonder asked as they watched the two villains began to spar, ordinary Earth weapons now going up against Tamaranian swords and spears, “Can we trust them?”

“Even if they’re helping us for their own benefit only, they are still helping,” Batman said, preparing his own weapons, “And besides, I don’t think we have a choice!” 

Robin nodded, clenching his fists as he and Batman rejoined the fight. And from then on, the battle on the ground only seemed to get more chaotic.

With more fighters on their side, Batman and Robin were once again able to focus on only one or two opponents at a time, which meant being able to land blows that were heavier as well as more accurate. Penguin and King Tut also seemed to hold their own, usually aiming for heads or legs when they weren’t ‘swordfighting’ and easily knocking soldiers out with a few blows. *WHAM!* _*SLAM!*_ ***KAPOWIE!***

Tut laughed proudly. “That will teach you lot to mess with a TRUE king.”

“Wennnk,” Penguin scoffed as he pointed his weapon at another group of Tamaranians, the tip of his umbrella now spraying more knockout gas at them, “Just make sure they don’t hit your head! The last thing we need a bumbling Egyptology professor getting in the way, wenk!”

Every few seconds, someone could feel an egg whiz by their head or catch an explosion of confetti out of the corner of their eye. With all his handy trick eggs and eggs-cellent aim, Egghead was able to provide an amazing defense. While his knockout eggs weren’t a one-hit punch, they were usually able to slow the Tamaranians down enough for Batman or one of the other rogues to give the final blow.

Joker, naturally, was a bit more of a wildcard than a fighter alongside them. The Clown Prince of Crime resorted to tricks rather than fists, catching the soldiers off-guard enough to land a couple cheap shots and laughing all the way. Again, it was enough to slow these mighty warriors down and allowing his temporary allies to take them out. And as for Riddler-

...Well, the Riddler was never much of a fighter. He certainly tried, occasionally trying to tackle one of the tall, buff soldiers or attempting to use a dropped weapon. Unfortunately, the lanky Prince of Puzzles just didn’t have enough muscle power, so he resorted to something he could do thanks to his size and speed: Running.

Running with three Tamaranians on his tail, to be precise. However, while the Riddler was fleeing, he wasn’t in a panic despite the slightly nervous giggling he was doing. “S-Say, do any of you gentlemen have riddles on your planet?” he yelled over his shoulder, just before ducking in time to avoid a spear to the shoulder, “Hehe, h-how about this one?! What is able to both start  _ and _ end a visit?!” 

The warriors stayed silent, completely focused on capturing the question mark-covered villain. Just what Riddler was hoping for. 

Suddenly, the villain stopped in his tracks, turned to face his opponents, and then ducked down as far as he could - allowing Robin to leap over him and get the jump on them! *SMACK!* *OOF!* It only took about a minute or two for him to fight the soldiers off and send them falling to the ground. 

“The answer,” Robin began to say, “is a knockout punch!”

Riddler hummed, glancing down at the fallen aliens as he stood and dusted himself off. “Not bad, Boy Blunder,” the rogue offered, “Though, it really is too bad these invaders weren’t up for a more intellectual duel, for if that were the case, I would easily be the victor!”

The young hero just barely managed to keep from rolling his eyes, instead just replying with a “Yeah, sure,” before preparing to block another attack.

Across the street on the other side of the battlefield, Batman found himself dueling two warriors at once, just barely managing to block their blows, even with his sword. Gritting his teeth, he took a step back.

The Tamaranians must have noticed this. “Retreating would be a wise idea,” one of them said, the other continuing his barrage of attacks, “For it is quickly becoming the only option you have left, Bat Man.”

A light voice behind them scoffed. “If you think that he would ever surrender, then you really don’t know Batman.” 

Before either alien could react, a woman with black cat ears pinned to her brown hair jumped up onto the shoulders of one of them. The Tamaranian tried to shove her off, but Catwoman still managed to get a swipe in, leaving deep claw marks on her opponent’s face thanks to her sharp gloves. Gloves with sharp tips that had also been dipped in a sleeping powder it would seem, for the Tamaranian soon fell to his knees with a yawn while the other quickly tried to grab their new challenger.  

But Batman wasn’t having any of that. Using his sword, he hit the soldier’s metal armband with enough strength to not only prevent him from grabbing Catwoman, but also hurt him without cutting him. The Dark Knight then aimed his fist, punching the remaining warrior one, two-  ***BLAM!*** -three times, taking him down!  

There were still many more to fight… And yet despite it all, Batman couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder at Catwoman, smiling a bit at her. “I was wondering if you would show up,” he admitted.

Catwoman smirked back at him. “Well, I couldn’t let you boys have all the fun, and I’m sure these aliens or whatever they are have something worthwhile to take.” Though, even through her passive and careless tone, Batman could still sense that she didn’t make her way into a dangerous interplanetary battle just for some action and a few shiny bobbles from space.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve helped me, Catwoman,” he noted, stepping towards her, “And I doubt it’ll be the last. Are you sure you don’t want to give up your criminal ways and make this a permanent arrangement?”

The villainess thought about it. “Is there a diamond ring involved with this deal?” she asked with a slight purr.

“...Perhaps we can work our way up to that,” Batman replied eventually, “After several years, of course.” 

Catwoman huffed. As it was to be expected from someone like Batman…  “Tell you what,” she said as she put her claws up once more, “Let’s make sure that we both survive all of this first, then we can talk.”

Batman nodded, his eyes now on an incoming Tamaranian. “Good idea.” In that second, they both leapt forward and past each other, with Batman managing to hit one warrior with a good punch to the chin while Catwoman gave another one of her kat-rate kicks.  

Despite the slightly mismatched group of heroes and villains not being quite as strong or having as many weapons as their opponents, they were still all managing to hold their own and keeping the battle confined within the city block. But while the fight below was quickly becoming a stalemate, only being effective enough to keep the soldiers from going any further into Gotham, the fight taking place in the skies wasn’t making much progress either.

Both girls were clearly starting to feel tired, and it would seem to any onlookers that both had taken as many hits as they had given. Unfortunately, calling the fight a draw simply wasn’t an option…

Blackfire wasn’t even wasting time to taunt anymore, angered by the fact that her little sister really was an equal match for her, nor was Koriand’r still trying to argue with her. This fight needed to end. A victor - an  _ empress _ \- had to be decided once and for all, and Blackfire wasn’t going to wait any longer. 

With a battle cry, she began to bombard her sister with star bolts, her attacks quicker and far more fatal now. Koriand’r tried her best to remain on the defensive, but with her sister now truly pulling out all the stops, it just wasn’t possible. 

Hit after hit was taken, burning her skin and even making her cry out occasionally. She tried to fly away, but Blackfire refused to give her an opening. The older sister came closer and closer, now being able to throw physical hits along with superpowered ones. And, once she had decided that Kori had had enough, Blackfire gripped her sister’s shoulders tightly and slammed her to the side of a skyscraper, pinning her there. 

“Face it, Koriand’r,” Blackfire told her, “You’ve lost!”

The princess squeezed her eyes shut, both in pain and in an attempt to try to focus enough strength to escape. “N-No-!” she managed to get out, “I-I-! Y-You will not- NNG-!” It was just too much!

“KORI!” 

Her green eyes opened, and both Tamaranian Royals glanced back down at the streets of Gotham. “JUST HOLD ON!” Robin shouted, already reaching for his utility belt. However, before he could pull anything out of it, a Tamaranian soldier grabbed his arm, pulling it back and causing his Earthling enemy to cry out. 

Amused slightly, Blackfire shouted back at the sidekick. “You should learn not to interfere with the power of Tamaran!” she shouted back before looking directly at her soldier, giving him a nod.

The Tamaranian man was silent. He had more than enough strength to keep the boy in place. He had nothing against this human, no anger or need for revenge or desire to defeat him. This was an empty battle, an empty war. 

But, orders were orders… So, he continued to bring the boy’s arm back, just enough for it to-! Robin let out a loud scream, which caused most of his fellow humans around him to flinch. Even the rogues who hated him couldn’t help but cringe a bit at the harsh break.

Koriand’r winced at her friend’s pain. “Rob-  _ erg-! _ ” Blackfire continued to hold her down, her hands now burning her shoulders. Kori could see her sister’s eyes began to glow. She was preparing for a fatal attack…

And yet, at the moment, all she could concentrate on was Robin. On Robin, who continued to struggle and fight despite all the pain he was in. On his yelling, which wasn’t directed at his opponent or even at his surrogate father, but on  _ her _ . 

“J-Just keep fighting, Kori!” he cried out as loud as he could, unwilling to be silenced, “C-Come on! I, I know you can s-still win!”

But she also focused on Batman, who had raced over and was trying to free his sidekick from the soldier’s grasp.  

On the various other costumed humans, who kept fighting, not caring if they were outnumbered and outmatched (or if their weapons were, quite frankly, incredibly silly). This was their planet, so it was their fight too!

And finally, on the Tamaranians, who seemed to lack any sort of passion or emotion on their faces as they continued this war for the sake of Empress Komand’r. 

Passion… Emotion… She could remember as a little girl being told stories about past battles and wars before going to sleep. She could remember that, while always refusing to start any battles despite having the power to do so, Tamaranians always put their entire hearts into fighting whenever they were forced to finish a battle. For their species, while powerful, still tried to remain peaceful. To be strong yet content, for a fulfilling life under their sun was all they ever needed. And if any being tried to take away the life they loved, they would always fight to their last breath for it.

Peaceful… Passionate… Emotional… Loving… These qualities were what made Tamaranians such powerful fighters, not just their abilities and biology!  _ This _ was Tamaran! But it was also… 

“Let! Him! Go!” A sharp kick in the stomach was enough to finally make the soldier let go, and a harsh punch in the jaw finished the job. “Robin!” Batman shouted, now only focused on his injured sidekick, “Are you alright? Are-?”

“I-I’m fine!” Robin told him, still wincing as he cradled his now-broken arm. Not even giving himself a moment to rest, he began to shift his cape and tie it around the limb, turning it into a makeshift sling. He refused to stay down and stop fighting, just as Batman refused to leave his side, sword back in-hand and fighting any soldier that tried to finish the boy off. 

For love wasn’t a source of strength for only Tamaranians to tap into, but for Earthlings as well.

The princess’ eyes widened slightly. Time seemed to slow down - she could now begin to feel the heat of her sister’s oncoming attack, but there was still only one thought in her mind.

_ Love… Love…  _ **_Love!_ **

With one last grin, Blackfire finally fired her eye beams - and immediately they were caught by Koriand’r. And as purple met green, both girls were thrown back. But while Blackfire had to take a moment to regain her balance and shake off the impact, Koriand’r simply floated out of the building, seemingly unphased by being pushed through a wall. 

Despite this feat, Blackfire still scoffed at the young princess. “So, you still refuse to acknowledge it? That I’m better? That I’m  _ stronger?!” _

“Actually,” Koriand’r began to say, her voice completely calm, “I do acknowledge it. You  _ are _ stronger, Komand’r. You always have been.”

For a moment, Blackfire could only stare back at her, if only out of shock. “...If you think kind words will earn you mercy from me, then you’re sadly mistaken,” she replied eventually, narrowing her eyes a bit.

“But I’m not being kind,” Koriand’r retorted, “I am speaking the truth. You are stronger on your own… But you fight for yourself. And I have been fighting for myself as well, it would seem. Fighting to prevent MY failure. Fighting out of MY anger towards you. Fighting because of MY fear of being dishonored and killed.”

“And just what is YOUR point?” Blackfire questioned, clearly getting annoyed now.

“My point… is that I will no longer fight for myself, because the fate of both these planets is much bigger than us.” Koriand’r eyes began to glow, now even brighter than before. “I will fight for them now, and I will not let you hurt them any more!”

Without any other warning, Koriand’r fired another eye beam that not only hit Blackfire, but knocked her back several feet, causing her to cry out.

And in that instant, the Tamaranians slowed their own attacks, now focused on the sky - and the royals - above them. They didn’t cheer, nor did they seem to express who they wanted to win (at least, not in an obvious way). They simply watched.

“...Um, not that I’m complaining but, weren’t we just in the middle of a fight?” Joker spoke up.

“Yes,” King Tut added, giving the soldiers a curious look, “Don’t you all want to rule us?”

Only one Tamaranian answered, though he still kept his eyes upward. “Truth be told, Earthling, it was Empress Komand’r that wished to rule this planet,” General K’Targ said, “We follow the orders of our leaders.”

“And Blackfire and Kori are fighting over the crown,” Robin added, “These guys also know that this fight is just about over…”

“And whoever wins decides what everyone here does next,” Batman finished, as both he and Robin as well as all the villains began to focus on the royal duel as well…

Speaking of which, their battle was really heating up now, with Blackfire now on the defensive. The two began to chase each other, occasionally firing star bolts at one another. Of course, Blackfire was still able to block and dodge, but even while doing this she could tell the fight had taken a turn.

Koriand’r was completely focused now. Not a single spark of anger was in her eyes, and with each attack she took, she didn’t even flinch. She simply kept her gaze locked on her sister, always keeping her in sight, always keeping strategy in mind. Koriand’r would cut off all attempted escapes, giving Blackfire no chances to hide. She would aim for weak spots, and would constantly be thinking ahead. 

Gritting her teeth, Blackfire began to try and get back on the offensive - and in more than one way. “You know you’re just delaying the inevitable, sister!” Blackfire spat as she got close enough to Kori to kick at her, which was easily dodged. “You’re always going to be my little sister, after all! You’re always going to be weaker! Just as weak as these humans!”

But these words had no effect on Koriand’r, for while part of her mind was in the present focusing on the fight, another was in the past. Not on previous fights with Komand’r or on all the times Kori was bullied or hurt by her, but on camping trips with Galfore. On training sessions with the general where she was praised, and on Tamaran’s beaches with her parents. In the beautiful forests, with creatures both cute and mighty. In her home, in her ship… In Gotham. In the Batcave, in Stately Wayne Manor, in the diner and the park and all around the city with Dick Grayson by her side.

A small smile crept onto her lips. And as her heart soared, her flight speed increased, allowing her to not only catch up to Blackfire, but land a few strong hits as well.

The two royals continued to clash over and over, one hit after the other - except this time, it was Blackfire who was beginning to slow down and Kori who refused to let up. Still, Blackfire refused to surrender. 

“No more!” she shouted, raising her hands and aiming them directly at her younger sister’s head, “NO MORE! I will not lose my crown! I REFUSE!”

But Koriand’r wasn’t afraid, and rather than trying to dodge the attack, she instead flew forward with her own hands raised. As soon as their palms met, the light and heated friction created between them was enough to force most bystanders below to look away. Still, even as their bodies shook from the force of it all and the heat between their palms became stronger and stronger, the two girls continued with their attacks, refusing to back off.

Until finally - FINALLY - the green light overtook the purple, causing Blackfire to cry out as her palms began to burn. “T-This can’t be-!” How was Koriand’r stronger than her?! “Y-You-! YOU-!” 

“What I do, I do for Tamaran,” Koriand’r stated, squeezing her sister’s hands tightly so she could not escape, “AND for Earth!”

With that, Kori rushed downward, still holding tightly onto her sister as she slammed both of them into the ground. Dust and dirt flew up, causing the humans at least to shield their eyes. 

Thankfully, it only took a couple minutes to begin to clear, and with the dust now gone, everyone could begin to see that  _ both _ sisters were still standing. The air was tense, everyone was holding their breath.

Everyone... except the two royals, that is, who already knew....

Koriand’r watched her older sister, not even clenching her fists even as Blackfire glared at her. The empress’s legs were shaking, and when she tried to summon light to her palms, there was only a small flicker. Blackfire managed a small grunt as she wrapped her arms around herself. She spat out a curse in Tamaranian before finally falling to her knees, unable to get up. 

“...” Slowly, Koriand’r turned to face the crowd. Her burns and scars were still very much visible, and there was still pain in the small smile she gave, yet the light in her eyes never faltered. “The battle is complete.” That was all she said. That was all she needed to say.

Taking his weapon, K’Targ lifted it up and held it in the air as a salute. “A new empress has been decided,” he roared, “Long Live… Empress Koriand’r!”

“Long Live Empress Koriand’r!” The soldiers repeated, raising their own weapons, “Long live Tamaran!” And as the alien troops continued to chat and cheer and the villains relaxed, Batman and Robin could only smile back at the former princess. 

Koriand’r’s own smile grew at that as she gave them a nod, silently thanking them for their support. ‘I could not have done it without you two,’ she thought to herself.

“...What are you waiting for?”

“Hm?” Kori looked back at her sister. Blackfire still couldn’t rise or even stand up, though Kori was sure that she wanted to. She couldn’t even glare at her, instead focusing her burning gaze on the broken pavement around her. “We both know what you have to do now if you truly want all of this to end,” Blackfire continued, “Unless you really are still a fool…”

Holding back a sigh, Koriand’r crouched down. “You deserve to be punished, Komand’r… And you will be in a prison on Tamaran, not here. I have done all I needed to do.”

Blackfire scowled. “Giving me mercy and pitying me won’t change my mind. If anything, I will make sure to fight you again one day. I refuse to let you have my birthright… So do not become comfortable with the title of Empress, little sister. It will not be yours forever… I will make sure of that.”

Koriand’r said nothing to that. She only frowned, and wished that things were different... But, perhaps things would chance one day. She doubted that Tamaran would ever completely love and accept Komand’r, but maybe if just one person did, then her older sister could begin to heal... 

As the sun began to set over Gotham, things began to move quickly. Tamaranian troops began leaving in their ships, leaving only the General’s private troop - the ship in charge of keeping Blackfire contained until they reached their home planet - behind. “We will not let you down, Empress,” K’Targ promised.

“I know you will not,” Kori replied, giving him a smile, “And please make sure her injuries are attended to, as well. I am sure our k’norfka will not mind being assigned that duty.”

The general gave a bow. “Of course, my empress. We will be sure to leave soon. Are you certain that you will not be needing our ship.”

Her smile softening a bit, Koriand’r shook her head. “I will not. I am certain that I can fly home on my own without too much difficulty. Besides…” she glanced over her shoulder. “I still have things I must do here before I can leave.” Things that she could have ignored or rushed, but simply couldn’t when she really thought about it.

After all, a proper goodbye could never be rushed.

“Simply incredible!” Commissioner Gordon exclaimed for what felt like the dozenth time, but he just couldn’t believe it! “I never would have thought in my wildest dreams that an entire alien army would land in our fair city!”

“I still can’t believe that Batman managed to fight the creatures off!” Chief O’Hara added, “Gosh, is there anything ya can’t do, Batman?”

“Well, for starters, I wouldn’t exactly call them ‘creatures’, Chief,” Batman lightly chided, “They may be from another world, but they were just following orders, just as many of us here on Earth must sometimes do, even if we don’t completely agree with the actions. But I can assure you, the Tamaranian people have no ill will towards us.” 

The Chief nodded, taking the words to heart. “And furthermore,” the Dark Knight continued, “As for the fight, it wasn’t just Robin and I fighting.”

“That’s right!” Robin spoke up, “If it wasn’t for Koriand’r doing her part, I don’t think Batman and I would’ve lasted much longer!”

“And, of course, there’s also our other unexpected allies…” The men turned, looking over at the police car where six of the most infamous Gotham criminals reluctantly stood, their wrists cuffed together and a couple guards keeping an eye on them. Of course, once the fight with the Tamaranians had ended and things had settled, the villains had tried to escape in hopes to take advantage of the lack of law enforcement in the area. Luckily, Batman was able to make sure they stayed there until the police could pick them up and send them back to Gotham State Penitentiary. 

Still, their assistance would not go unappreciated. “Fret not, gentlemen - and lady-” Batman gave Catwoman a small smile as he said that last bit, “I’ll be sure to mention your actions today to Warden Crichton, as well as all of your parole officers. I’m almost certain that this will all be counted as Community Service, which should in turn take a couple years off all of your sentences.”

“Oh goody,” Riddler - who had at least seventy years of a prison sentence left to serve - said flatly while the others just rolled their eyes or scoffed. But as annoyed as they were, they didn’t put up much of a fight as the officers begin loading them into the police van once it arrived, especially since none of the officers seemed to notice the lockpick Catwoman had slipped out of her belt…

While Batman, Gordon and O’Hara continued to talk, Robin noticed Kori watching him out of the corner of his eye. Smiling, the boy silently slipped away and went over to his friend. 

“How are you feeling?” Kori asked him, placing a gentle hand on his arm, which for now was still wrapped in his cape. Alfred would have to properly fix and wrap it later once they returned to the Bat Cave.

But even with a broken arm, Robin refused to let it run the moment. “It hurts but, I’ll be alright,” he insisted, “I’ve been through worse. ...And you? Are you feeling alright?”

Koriand’r gave a small laugh. “My body is sore… at the same time, I feel my spirit has never been higher. Though, there are still some things that happened today that I wish could have been different, but… I have been through worse.”

“Heh…” Stretching his good arm out, he put a hand on her shoulder. “At least everything else worked out pretty well. Gosh, you’re an empress now… An  _ empress! _ ” However, even with her new grand title, the Boy Wonder felt as comfortable around her as ever. “But see? I told you that you were strong enough to defeat her, and you were!”

Koriand’r’s smile grew, but she shook her head. “Strength - at least, not physical strength, had nothing to do with it.”

Robin blinked. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“It is true that our physical strength as well as the strength of our powers are quite important,” Kori began to explain, “However, for Tamaranians, there is another factor: The strength of our emotions.”

“Emotions?” Robin repeated, “So, depending on how emotional you are, that determines how powerful you are?”

“Exactly,” she nodded, “Everything we do, from our flight to our fighting, depends on us feeling these actions along with attempting to perform them. The joy of weightlessness and speed, the passion of winning a battle, the ferocity and fury we gather up when we must protect the ones we care about from getting hurt - it is all important, for without these emotions, we would not be nearly as powerful...”

Koriand’r then closed her eyes, her mind once again bringing her familiar images. “Komand’r was driven by anger and hate. For most of our battles, I was also driven by anger, as well as fear and even hate in return for all that she had done. But as strong as these emotions can be, others can be even stronger… I began to forget about myself and my role in all this, and instead I thought about Tamaran. About the beautiful land, the wonderful creatures, our warm sun, Galfore and the others there that I cared deeply about and who I did not want to see forced into war… And-” 

Opening her eyes, Robin saw a spark in them. A bright spark of light and warmth that was enough to send shivers up his spine. “I also began to think of Earth… Of all the wonderful land and creatures that were here as well. Of burgers and mustard, and frog creatures and dancing, and heroes and villains that hide their identities…” Koriand’r took a step forward, and despite the heat now rising in his cheeks, Robin didn’t step back. 

“I thought about how this planet was just as wonderful as Tamaran, and all the people here worth protecting, as well as those who cared enough to protect and help me. I thought of Alfred and Miss Aunt Harriet and Bruce and Bat Man… And you.”

“Gosh…” was all Robin could really say. Just when he thought Koriand’r couldn’t get anymore special...

Kori giggled slightly at his reaction. “I love Tamaran, AND I love the Earth,” she continued, “And I am certain that it was that love and determination that was able to keep me fighting until I could no longer lose. So, in a way, I have you and the Earth to thank just as much as you are thanking me.”

“Wow… You know, Kori, I think I sorta get what you mean,” Robin said, after thinking about it for a moment, “I may not be Tamaranian but, I do know that I care about Gotham and Batman enough that I want to protect and help both of them as much as I can, no matter the odds or the threat. So, being able to actually use all of that love you feel towards something to power you up, that’s really amazing! And, uh…” The young hero glanced away, his free hand now fiddling a bit with his cape, “A-And, I think it’s safe to say that a lot of that, that l-love is returned, you know?”

Koriand’r didn’t say anything. Instead, she simply pulled him into a tight hug, surprising Robin but only for a moment. “Thank you, Dick,” she whispered.

“...” Relaxing, Robin returned the hug, enjoying her warmth as any pain he might have felt melted away. 

From behind them, the sun began to set behind the city’s tall buildings, bringing a close to a rather ‘exciting’ day as a peaceful night finally began.

**TO BE CONCLUDED!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading this and supporting this idea! I hope you enjoy the last chapter, and please leave kudos and (especially) comments if you can! I’d love to hear what everyone thought of this, and hopefully I should have more Batman 66 stories up soon since I’ve already got a couple others in mind ^v^ Alright, here we go!

_“-And on that note, both Police Commissioner Gordon and Batman have promised that under the rule of Empress Koriand’r - or Starfire, as she’s also known as - the Tamaranian people will never again be our enemies or our invaders. Only our allies and our friends.”_

Aunt Harriet smiled, clasping her hands together. “Oh, isn’t that a relief, Alfred?”

“Indeed, ma’am,” Alfred nodded, smiling a bit as well, “It certainly is some good news to begin the day with.”

“Oh, but I just can’t imagine having to fight your own sister…” Harriet said, shaking her head, “I can only imagine…”

“It is a bit of an unfortunate turn, yes,” Alfred told her, “Though, last I saw, Miss Koriand’r is still doing well. I think she understood the situation, and I’m sure that her sister will be getting both the proper punishment _and_ the proper help that she needs.”

Harriet nodded, “Let’s hope so…” With a small sigh, she turned off the television and stood up. “Well, why don’t you and I go prepare a big lunch? We want to make it special after all, and - oh! Be sure to remember to pour Dick an extra glass of milk with his meal. Honestly, that boy. Breaking his arm while running away? What was he doing being so close to those ships landing anyway? Oh I do hope he’s not making a habit of getting himself into trouble...”

Holding back a chuckle, Alfred put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I assure you, Miss Cooper, that both Master Dick and Master Bruce can take care of themselves, even in the most unusual of situations.”

()()()()()()()()

As far as spending one last day somewhere with a friend could go, Kori considered it to be a good one, as did Dick. Sleeping in after a hard fight won left little of their morning left to enjoy, though a delicious lunch was just what they needed to get the rest of their energy back.

It didn’t matter to the two teens what they did or how much they did, only that they did it together. As such, the rest of the afternoon led to a variety of activities. From taking a long stroll through Stately Wayne Manor’s gardens, to catching a baseball game from a neighboring city on the television, to even something as simple and fun as talking while they watched the clouds pass over their heads. All of it was enjoyable and relaxing, and rarely were they interrupted - only when Alfred wanted to make sure they didn’t need anything or if Bruce or Harriet wanted to make sure they were alright.

Yes, their afternoon together had been nearly perfect… But there was still a melancholy air to it. A bittersweet tone that they couldn’t completely ignore, no matter how much they laughed or smiled.

By the time the sun began to set, they had moved to the sun room on the second floor, moving out onto the balcony. Inside, a radio was playing melodies just loud enough to be heard, helping to keep the mood light even as time refused to slow down.

They danced, they smiled and laughed, and now they were leaning on each other as they sat on the edge of the balcony railing, simply enjoying the view and each other's company. That was all they really needed, after all.

“...Are you sure you don’t want us to fix up your ship and send it up?” Dick asked as the Beatles song in the background faded away, leading into an Elvis classic.

Koriand’r nodded. “We have plenty of ships, we will be fine, and I do not want to trouble you two just to have an extra.”

“Aw, it wouldn’t be any trouble!” Dick insisted, “And hey, maybe we’ll still fix it up anyway if we have the time. ...Maybe we can use it to visit Tamaran one day.”

Koriand’r smiled. “I would like that… And maybe I could visit Earth again one day too, once everything on Tamaran has been sorted out.” She then gave a small sigh. “I still worry that perhaps I am not best for Tamaran… But I do know that I will try my best to be a worthy empress, no matter what.”

“I know,” Dick said as he nodded, not expecting any less from her, “and I also know that you’ll do great. There’s no doubts about that.”

“Thank you…” Koriand’r looked at her friend for only a moment before turning her attention back to the setting sun, her smile fading just a little. “...I should not stay much longer,” she reminded him, “otherwise it will be that much harder for me to leave later on.” Still, she didn’t regret her decision to stay one extra day. She didn’t regret saying goodbye, even if she was reluctant to leave.

“Right…” It didn’t seem fair... yet when he really thought about it, Dick could only really consider himself to be lucky. He knew that no matter what the distance was between them, he would still be feeling the warmth from this alien princess for quite some time.

Without warning, Dick stood up. “Kori?”

The Tamaranian girl blinked at the sudden movement and looked up at him, her green eyes wide with curiosity. But Dick could only smile back at her as he held out his hand. “I’m really glad that you landed here, and that I was able to meet you.”

“...” Ignoring the tears now in her eyes, Kori happily took the boy’s hand. “As am I, Dick Grayson,” she told him, standing up as well, “I never would have imagined meeting someone like you here, but I am so glad that I did.”

Without another word, the two teens moved into each other, holding one another in a tight embrace. Several seconds passed before they finally let go, though their hands still remained intertwined for just a bit longer as Koriand’r moved to grab the small basket the others in the manor had made for her. There was a bat-communicator, in the hopes that with some Tamaranian tech it’s signal would be able to reach Earth, along with some books from Bruce's library that she had still wanted to read, some flowers from Aunt Harriet’s garden, some snacks made from Alfred and, of course, a jar of mustard.

With her basket in tow, Koriand’r moved back onto the edge of the balcony. Ignoring the slight ache now forming in his heart, Dick loosened his grip… but Kori didn’t let his hand go.

This time, it was Dick giving the curious look while Kori simply smiled back at him. After a moment, she gently pulled her towards him, and it was when she started to lean forward that Dick began to understand... Blushing brightly, the boy closed his eyes and leaned forward as well, only stopping when their lips finally met.

As the seconds passed like ages, they both dared to deepen the kiss. Koriand’r wrapped her arms around his shoulders, being careful not to bump his broken arm, and Dick did the same as he stood up on his toes for a more comfortable angle to reach her height with, his right foot now popping out slightly.

When they could no longer hold their breaths, the kiss ended. And, while Dick looked almost as surprised as the first time they made lip contact, Koriand’r couldn’t help but smirk a bit. “Just so there is no confusion,” she told him, “ _That_ was a Tamaranian kiss.”

“O-Oh… Well, heh, good to know.” The two shared a laugh, their faces still warm as their smiles shined through. And, once their giggles faded and their smiles soften, that was when Koriand’r finally began to rise from the balcony’s floor.

“Goodbye, Dick Grayson,” she whispered, giving him one last look before shooting up into the sky.

Dick watched as she soared, her hair burning as bright as a comet’s tail. It was only when he could no longer see her light did he finally reply. “Bye, Kori…”

He wasn’t sure how long he stood outside. The darkening of the sky barely registered in his mind, and he didn’t even notice when the radio was turned off. It was only when he felt a gentle yet firm hand on his shoulder did reality finally seem to start again.

“Old Chum…? Will you be alright?”

Dick didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took a deep breath, quickly wiping away any tears that might have been in his eyes. But when he did turn to face his adoptive father, he only had a smile on his face. “Yeah, I’ll be alright… Come on, Bruce. We should probably head back inside in case Commissioner Gordon calls.”

Bruce gave a small nod, though he kept a hand on the boy’s back, silently letting him know that it was okay to be upset. That it was okay to be heartbroken.

And perhaps Dick was heartbroken, just a little. But that still wasn’t enough to overshadow the warmth. He still had his memories, all of the moments between the two of them. And, while he knew it wouldn’t be for quite some time, he knew that he would see Koriand’r again one day. Some day...

Until then, he would just keep watching the stars.

**THE END**


End file.
